Desiderata
by LoolaMiracle
Summary: Sometimes, what you want the least is what you need the most. Daniel/OC
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"At ease," General Hammond said as he walked into the Briefing Room and SG1 relaxed, sitting back down as he took his place at the head of the table. "I just got off the phone with the President and we have a situation. It seems Senator Kinsey has been at it again."

"Doesn't that guy ever take a break?" Jack groaned and Hammond nodded his agreement with the sentiment.

"He has been in Washington, complaining about how expensive the SGC is," Hammond continued, then sighed. "And, unfortunately, the President is, at least in part, agreeing with him this time."

"Wait, I thought the President was on our side?" Daniel said and the General leaned back in his chair.

"He is, but this year is an election year and he wants the national budget looking as good as possible, and having 7.8 billion dollars unaccounted for doesn't exactly help him, much." Hammond explained. "So,he has created a new position here at the base, sort of a "Financial Advisor."

"No doubt, handpicked by Kinsey." Jack muttered.

"That is safe to assume, I believe," Hammond replied darkly. "And I believe it is also safe to assume that slashing our budget isn't her only responsibilities here."

"You think she is a spy for Kinsey," Sam said and the General nodded. "It would make sense. If they are going through our budget, why not get whatever information they can to Kinsey regarding everything else that is going on here."

"Sir, you said 'her.' Do you already know who this person is?" Daniel asked and Hammond passed him a dossier. There was no picture, but there was nearly everything else about the woman that they could possibly need to know. "Christin Domani." He said, reading the name at the top.

"That is her basic information, but I would like you to dig around further and find out more. Call around, whatever you have to do. I want to know everything we can about this woman before she steps foot on my base." Hammond said.

"What's the big deal, General? So she looks at our numbers, sees there is no room for improvement, and goes away." Jack shrugged but Hammond shook his head.

"Im afraid it isn't that easy, Colonel. According to the President, she is to be given full access to every Department's budget…and from now on, she is the person to which all requisition forms will go to. Anything at all that is to be asked for, she has to sign off on it."

"That's ridiculous," Jack said, but then a slow smile appeared on his face. "Wait… did you say 'anything at all?'" he asked and Hammond nodded. "So… if I wanted, let's say, a new shirt… there is nothing that says I cant ask for it one button at a time…"

"Or some new printing paper, one page at a time…" Sam added, catching on.

"I don't understand. How would that tactic accomplish anything?" Teal'c asked and Sam turned to him.

"We inundate her with requisitions for the dumbest, tiniest stuff. She will be so busy that she wont be able to snoop around for information to give to Kinsey." She explained.

"For the record, I would never allow that kind of waste of time…" Hammond said, then leaned closer to his flagship team. "Off the record, let's get rid of this woman however we can, and as fast a we can."

"Yes, sir." Jack grinned and they left.

"What have you found out, Major?" Hammond asked later that day as he walked into Sam's office, where she and Daniel sat.

"I must admit, Sir, her work is impressive." She replied, showing him her computer screen. "She has worked at numerous, high-level corporations and a few military facilities, including Y12, NAS, and Peterson, not to mention her time in Washington with the Budget Committee."

"And what, exactly, does she do there?" Hammond asked but Sam shook her head.

"I tried to make a few calls, but I haven't been able to find out exactly what it is she does. The only people that recalled the name seemed fairly positive about her, but couldn't give me much more than that."

"According to her file, she has several Masters degrees in everything from Finance to Literature, along with a handful of Bachelor degrees and Associates," Daniel said, jumping in. "Her studies are varied, but impressive. She got her first Masters at age 19, and began working for Microsoft two years later after she finished two more degrees."

"What did she do there?" Sam asked but, like her, he shook his head.

"Not sure. Her title was "Financial Associate,' and she was only there for about 3 months before moving on to Apple, Toyota, and JPMorgan. She never seems to stay in the same place for more than 5 or 6 months before going somewhere else." He replied.

"Alright, keep trying. She is supposed to be here tomorrow morning. Also, since you two are both heads of departments, I want you to go through your budgets and make sure everything is in order. We don't want to give her any fodder for Kinsey to use against us because we missed something."

"Yes, sir." Sam said and Daniel nodded beside her. "Don't worry, I bet she will be gone within the month."

"From what Jack is planning, I will be surprised if she lasts the week." Daniel said.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Lot of exposition to begin with. Sorry for that. Also, forgive me if I make a mistake (such as ranks being wrong or something like that). Having said that, Please review! I am a sucker for it, and it makes me post faster! Thanks, guys! :-)

Chapter 2

She sighed as she fought the urge to check her watch yet again. It had been over 2 hours since she had arrived at the base and was promptly stopped by the Airman at the checkpoint. He had stiffly informed her that she was to wait for an escort, per General Hammond's orders, and then refused to speak to her again.

Giving in, she looked down. 2 hours and 15 minutes, and counting. It wasn't that she expected a warm welcome- no one was ever happy to see her- but this was just rude. Leaning against the wall (why didn't they have at least a bench or something?), she looked back over her notes again. She had, at the behest of her employer, done her research on the most influential members of the SGC- namely the team known as SG1. Individually, they were formidable enough, but together they were clearly a force to be reckoned with. She would have to tread carefully… assuming she ever managed to get inside and meet them.

It was another 45 minutes before the elevator down the hall opened and none other than Dr. Daniel Jackson walked out towards her. She had seen his picture from years ago, when he had first joined the project and unlocked the Gate, and noted that he hadn't changed all that much. Same shaggy hair, same glasses, and an intelligence behind his blue eyes that was nearly unparalleled. Just then, however, the only thing those eyes were showing was a dull contempt, aimed directly at her.

"Dr. Jackson, it's nice to finally meet you," she said, extending her hand out to him, and was promptly ignored.

"General Hammond is in the Briefing Room," he said and turned, walking back towards the elevator without so much as a glance back.

"Well, let's not keep him waiting," she muttered sarcastically and hurried to catch up. Entering the elevator with him, she tried to break the immediate awkward silence as casually as possible. "Big place," she commented, looking at all the buttons as the elevator began to descend.

"Maybe we should rent some rooms out to bring in some money. Then we might not need you here," he replied and she winced.

"Ouch…" she grunted and he mentally sighed.

"Yes, it is a large facility," he said, a tad more politely this time. She nodded and they settled in for more silence until the elevator doors opened. Following him out, she kept pace as he led her down one long corridor after another, getting thoroughly lost in the process. Just as she was beginning to suspect they were walking in circles, he came to an abrupt stop in front of a door. Walking in, she found herself on the receiving end of multiple glares. Peachy!

"Ms. Domani, I presume," the General at the head of the table said and she nodded, smiling politely. She was wrong- this group wasn't just formidable- they were downright terrifying.

"Yes, Sir. And you're General George Hammond, Colonel Jack O'N- "

"We know who we are," Hammond said, cutting her off.

"Right..." she sighed and moved to the table. Oh yes, she definitely needed to tread carefully. "May I?" she asked, waving at the seat furthest away from them, and he reluctantly nodded. "Thank you. I take it from the warm welcome that you have a vague idea of why I am here?"

"Oh, we know exactly why you are here, lady," Jack replied. "Tell us, how is Senator Kinsey these days?"

"An asshole, just as he is every day," she said, mentally relishing the way his jaw snapped shut in surprise. "I gotta say, he really hates you guys. I mean, it is like some kind of personal vendetta, you know?"

"Excuse me?" Hammond asked and she nodded, leaning back.

"I'm not gonna lie, the picture he painted of you all was pretty damn dark. Good thing I like to keep an open mind. You all seem much nicer than he would lead me to believe," she said with the barest hint of sarcasm.

"Ms. Domani- "the General started.

"Chris, please," she interjected, but he ignored her sternly.

"_Ms. Domani,_" he repeated with emphasis. "Forgive us if we're not exactly thrilled with your presence here. You see, we don't appreciate someone intruding in on us, with the goal of taking money away from us and the other hard-working people at this facility. What we do here is of utmost importance and we all do it to the best of our abilities. It is the first and last line of defense against the enemies out there and your arrival, well, if an affront to us all."

"No forgiveness needed, General. To be honest, I'm pretty used to this kind of treatment. People assume I'm coming to slash budgets, get people fired, and all kinds of other horrible things," she replied.

"Aren't you?" Daniel asked. "I mean, as a Financial Overseer or whatever- "

"Stupid title isn't it?" she interrupted. "I prefer to be called a 'Financial Troubleshooter.' It's more accurate, and sounds much, much cooler."

"So, what exactly is that you do, then?" Jack asked, frowning.

"Essentially, Colonel, my job is to take the budget that you have and rearrange it so that it is being used to its full potential. By doing so, I'm able to cut things that are outdated and superfluous, which helps with efficiency and cost. Honestly, it is kind of hard to explain, because no two jobs are ever alike. When it comes down to it, yes, I want to save this place money, but I also want to do it in a way that makes your jobs easier." She explained.

"And if we don't like the changes you want to make?" Hammond asked.

"I will never make any kind of major change without discussing it directly with you and the Department head that is affected. If there is something I want to do that you don't like, just tell me and we will discuss other solutions. I don't want to step on toes here. All I ask is for a chance and a tiny bit of cooperation."

"And what about Kinsey? I won't believe he wants you to actually help us," Jack said and she laughed.

"No, he definitely does not. But I am going to do my job- what I was directly hired to do- regardless of all his wishes. Having said that, I am instructed to report directly to him on a weekly basis with a summary of anything I witness here on base. I can't help that. But... if someone like General Hammond were…'accidentally' Bcc'd on the emails as well… well, that is just an unfortunate mistake. And, I'm sure whatever computer you have assigned to me is set up to be fully accessible at any time from someone else's office. Am I correct?" she asked and while she didn't get a direct answer, she did notice how Carter looked away. "Right. Well, I'm am perfectly okay with that. You are welcome to see anything that I am doing on there at any time. You are welcome to read my reports directly if you want. I don't believe in being secretive about this, although I warn you- I will not lie to either side about anything I see. But, if I see a problem, I will address it as necessary with whoever is in charge. I can't be more fair or open than that."

"I will hold you to that, Ma'am," Hammond said firmly, and she nodded. "Now, Dr. Jackson, please escort Ms. Domani to her office." With a nod, Daniel stood and she followed him out yet again.

"Well, that was unexpected," Jack muttered as the door closed behind the two.

"She wasn't what I expected," Sam added.

"I still want to take precautions. If she is working for Kinsey, as far as I am concerned, she can't be trusted. Keep an eye on her," Hammond said, and they nodded. "Dismissed."

"This is it," Daniel said, waving her into the office. To no surprise, it was little bigger than a closet- barely 15' x 20'. "And, as a bonus, you have the whole level all to yourself. There is nothing up here but storage rooms. So, you will have plenty of silence to work in."

"Away from everyone and everything... nothing to report on that way, right?" she replied but he looked away. "Great." She grunted.

"Commissary is on Level 24," he added and she nodded, then watched as he turned on his heel and left without another word.

"Thanks," she sighed, already alone. Turning to the office, she sighed once more and went to work.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Have you had a chance to look at that device that SG9 brought back?" Sam asked as she and Daniel finished their lunch in the commissary.

"Not yet. I was hoping to this afternoon, but I have to go meet with that new finance woman- Domani." He replied, clearly unenthusiastic. "She wants to go over my department's budget with me."

"Oh, that sounds like fun," Sam replied sarcastically, and he rolled his eyes. "I'm scheduled to meet with her tomorrow, after our debriefing."

"I'll let you know how bad it is. Wish me luck," he muttered and reluctantly left.

"Dr. Jackson, come on in and have a seat," she said and he blinked in surprise as he walked further into the office. Once a drab grey, she had redecorated in the week and a half she had been there. The metal desk, customary to every SG office, had been replaced by a rich wooden antique one; the floor had a throw rug in warm tones of gold and rust, and a tapestry on the back wall added a splash of color while making the room seem bigger than it was. She had even managed to get a small sofa and chair- both overstuffed and comfortable- in there against the wall. Finally, she had put a few lamps around the room, which cast a soft light instead of the harsh fluorescent one that he was used to. It culminated into a warm, cozy atmosphere that he instantly felt at ease in.

"Wow, this is nice. How did you managed to get all of this down here?" he asked, moving to sit on the sofa.

"It wasn't easy, but when you spend all of your time in one room, you want to be comfortable, right?" she replied and he nodded as she sat down in the chair across from him. "So, Dr Jackson, I have been looking over your budget for the past year and I think we can make some improvements," she said and he braced himself.

"Like what?" he asked tentatively and she smiled to herself.

"Don't worry. I think you will like the changes Im going to propose, but if you don't just let me know and we can discuss it," she said. "I think you're going to be surprised."

"Oh, I'm sure I will," he sighed and waved her on. "Hit me."

"Alright, your department, as a whole, in the first 18 months of the program, cost the SGC approximately 1.5 million dollars. Compared to other departments, this is a fairly small amount,, of course, but every little bit helps. I wont bore you with the breakdowns- you know them, anyway- so let's focus on 2 pieces: your researchers and the carbon dating of artifacts," she said and his defensive anger flared.

"You can't honestly be considering cutting them! Rothman and Lee have been killing themselves keeping up with everything and we have to have certain artifacts carbon dated to put them into context!" he argued but she just smiled calmly.

"I'm more than aware of Dr. Rothman's and Dr. Lee's work, and also the need for carbon dating, Dr. Jackson," she said and he frowned in confusion.

"Then why do you want to cut them?" he demanded.

"I never said I did," she replied and watched as he sail deflated hesitantly. "Dr. Jackson, your researchers are far too overworked. They work well over 80 hours a week and it takes them a considerably amount of time to document and translate even the most basic of objects because of the overwhelming amount of it all."

"I know, but they are doing their best…"

"I know they are, but they shouldn't have to kill themselves like this. So, here is what I propose: I want to bring in 4 new positions. 2 will be apprentices under Rothman and Lee, and 2 will be interns. The interns will do all of the menial tasks- documenting and cataloguing, while the apprentices will do basic translations and apprentice under Rothman and Lee to learn more. This way, the trickier and more pressing translations can be focused on by the experts. By doing this, they will be less stressed, which contributes to physical and mental health, plus they will be faster and more accurate with the important stuff, which is far more efficient. As a bonus, should they ever decide to leave, you have two built in replacements ready to go with minimal to no training. As for money, because of the less sick time and over time needed just to keep your main guys sane along with the faster and better work, we will actually be cutting costs by about $40,000 a year." When she finished, she noticed Daniel was doing an excellent impression of a fish out of water, and grinned. "I take it that is acceptable to you?"

"I, uh… that would be great. Yes," he grunted, in shock and she laughed.

"Great! You're welcome to choose your own people for the new positions, or I can do some head hunting for you in a couple of weeks," she offered.

"No, I…I can do it," he replied.

"Okay, just let me know who you pick and I will get them cleared and in here ASAP," she nodded. "Now, for the carbon dating part. Looking over the numbers, it is kind of ridiculous. We are spending nearly $300,000 to send artifacts to the University of Chicago to be dated, while having to still wait 2 weeks just to get the report back and the artifact returned."

"I know, but that is who we are contracted with," Daniel said but she shook her head.

"Not anymore. That is going to end at the end of the fiscal year." She replied firmly. "I think it would be better to have a lab right here on base, instead."

"You do?!" Daniel practically squeaked and she barely stifled a laugh.

"Yes, I do. It would be considerably faster, for one thing, and ever with the addition of the lab and someone to run it, it would drop the cost to about $100,000," she explained. "You may have to prioritize a bit, what is required over what is interesting, but that would be the only downside."

"I think I can handle that," he replied, still in shock.

"So, what do you think? Save a quarter million dollars, be more efficient, and hopefully a little happier?" she asked and he nodded emphatically.

"I think this is amazing, Ms. Domani. Can you really do all of this?" he asked.

"Chris, please. Well, it is going to take a little time, but I would say by late next month we should be up and running with the new people, and give me a couple of months after that I will have your new lab." She replied.

"That is fine, just fine, Chris," he said, shaking his head in amazement. "And, um, call me Daniel."

"Thank you, Daniel. Um, I do have a small favor to ask of you. No obligation, of course,"

"Okay…?"

"Would you please pass along to others that I am not the big bad wolf that they all seem to think?" she asked and he chuckled.

"For this, Chris, I will start a fan club for you," he laughed, then stood and, with a polite nod, left.

"Okay, that woman may be my new best friend," Sam said the next day as she joined Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c in the locker room to get ready for their mission. "You were right, Daniel. She is brilliant!"

"Who?" Jack asked.

"Chris- er, Chris Domani," she replied and he frowned.

"Kinsey's spy?"

"She can spy all she wants if she gets me my carbon dating lab," Daniel muttered and Sam nodded.

"From my tech department alone, she is saving over 5 billion dollars, and she wants to discuss possible ways to save on energy costs for the gate," Sam said. "I'm getting 7 new people, a new lab, and a ton of new technology that I have been needing."

"You're getting 7 new people? I'm only getting 5…" Daniel frowned.

"Wait, you're getting new staff and new toys, and she is still saving money?" Jack asked, sounding like a bad car commercial, and the two scientists nodded. "There's gotta be a catch. Kinsey would never approve someone actually helping this place."

"I don't know, sir, but so far she is great." Sam said.

"Well, keep watching her, and don't get your hopes up too much. The other shoes is going to drop soon enough." Jack warned.

"What if there isn't another shoe?" Daniel asked but Jack just rolled his eyes.

"There is always another shoe, Daniel. Always."

AN: Thank you for the review, dpdp! It definitely fed my creativity and pushed me to post some more! I may even get the next chapter up today (It will be smaller, but may answer some questions about our Financial Troubleshooter). I know I said that this was going to be a Daniel/OC romance story- and it most definitely is- but I have to build it up slowly. Remember, Daniel is still married to Sha're (and she is still alive) at this point, so we have a little ways to go. But stick with me and I promise, I will get to it when the time is right.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Dammit," Daniel muttered as he dragged himself over to the coffee pots in the commissary and found them all empty. 2:00 in the morning was not the ideal time to be out of caffeine, and he quickly fixed a pot, grumbling the whole time.

As he waited for the brewing to begin, he turned and leaned against the counter, only then noticing that he wasn't alone in the room. Tucked into the corner, snoring away, was Chris. A stack of papers sat in front of her on the table, a small, but growing, pool of drool threatening them. Being alone and free to watch her, the baser part of his brain noted that she was, in fact, a very beautiful woman. Dark, raven-black hair, a small but fit body, and he hadn't missed her cerulean-blue eyes, she was a viable knockout. Her personality and intelligence only added to the attractiveness and he easily envisioned himself being drawn to her… But then the rest of his brain caught up to him and reminded him that he was married and in love with Sha're, and was currently in the process of trying to save her from the Goa'uld within her. Kicking himself and feeling like a pig, he shook the thoughts from his mind and turned back to the coffee.

But his mind returned to the sleeping woman in the corner. What with alien incursions and time-traveling, he hadn't seen much of her in the three weeks since their meeting. She had made quite a reputation for herself around the base; tales of her genius spreading rapidly throughout the various departments. By his estimate, just from what he had heard about, she had already saved the base around 50 billion dollars and countless man hours- and not one single department head was displeased by her managing of their budgets. Vaguely, he wondered if anyone had even bothered to say 'thank you' to her and guiltily realized he hadn't.

Coffee finished, he poured 2 cups and walked over to the snoozing woman, and gently nudged her shoulder. With a rather unladylike snort, she woke and sat straight up, blinking myopically at her surroundings. As she managed to focus on him, she frowned in confusion.

"Daniel?" she grunted, followed by a jaw-cracking yawn, and he grinned. Her hair was mussed, and the left side of her face was red from laying on the hard table, and yet she was still attractive.

"Yeah, it's me. Here, you look like you could use this," he said and handed her the coffee.

"Oh, you are a godsend. Thanks," she groaned and took a sip from the brew, humming her appreciation. "What time is it?"

"2 in the morning," he replied and she groaned again, this time in dismay. He watched as she stretched lazily, working out the kinks in her back and neck, then forced himself to look away. "How long have you been sitting here?" he asked.

"Since about 11, I guess. I removed the freeze on requisitions today and every single person on base seems to want something," she replied, indicating the stack of papers between them. "It is amazing what people ask for, too. Sergeant Harriman asked for hand warmers for the Control Room- said it is too cold to push the buttons on the computer. Nurse Delly requested blur gloves instead of white ones- said it is more calming for her nursing staff. Oh, and Colonel O'Neill requested a new Gameboy, of all things. He claimed it was to offset workplace stress."

"Actually, you may want to consider granting that request. Trust me, Jack is insufferable without his Gameboy." Daniel replied, thinking back on their previous mission when he broke it. They all about shot him at some point.

"Well, I would give him three if it meant he would stop giving me those looks, as if I am about to detonate right there in the middle of the base at any minute." she sighed dejectedly.

"Don't take it too personally. It is hard to get Jack to trust you, and considering who your employer is, it is hard to blame him." he pointed out and Chris sighed again, leaning back in her chair.

"Kinsey…" she muttered, shaking her head. "I guess I can't blame him. Kinsey is a real piece of work."

"I don't understand, Chris. How can you work for that rat? You clearly hate him as much as we do," he said.

"He was my key to getting this assignment, and once I found out about it, I couldn't pass it up. I mean, even if you had to work for him, wouldn't you just to be here?" she asked and Daniel reluctantly nodded.

"I suppose you're right. But, what happens when he finds out about all these positive changes you are making? I mean, I can't imagine he is going to be pleased that you're actually helping us."

"Oh, definitely not. No." she chuckled, shaking her head. "Don't worry about that, though. By the time he finds out, it won't matter, because the plan will already be in place."

"The plan?" he asked and she nodded, but gave nothing else. Giving another glance at the clock on the wall, she stood.

"Well, I think I am going to hit the sack. Thank you for the coffee and conversation, Daniel."

"Goodnight, Chris," he replied and watched her start for the door. "Oh, and Chris? Thank you."

"You're welcome. Night," she replied and left.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

He sighed as he stared at the grey ceiling and absently ran his hand through his shortened locks. It was strange how, after all he had been through, a haircut would bother him so much. Of course, he could always grow it back out, but it would be strange in the meantime. If only he had something to distract him. He hated being cooped up in the infirmary- it was only a cut on the leg!

As if on cue, the curtain around his bed fluttered and Chris poked her head in, smiling to see him awake.

"Hey, it's good to see you back!" she said and walked on in, looking at his bandaged leg, "And mostly in one piece."

"It's just a cut. I'll be fine." He replied, struggling to sit up. "How has it been going?" he grunted.

"Here, let me help you," she offered and moved to shift his pillows higher.

"Thanks," he sighed and leaned back. As she moved back to the side of the bed again, their bare arms brushed against each other and he felt a warm shock flood through him. For a second, they both stared at the point of contact in surprise, but she quickly pulled away and the moment passed.

"I, uh, brought you something," she said and handed him a book. It was one of his journals, with a pen clipped to it. "I was overseeing the lab installation and thought you might like it, you know, so you have something to do."

"You're a lifesaver! Thank you!" he said happily, accepting the items from her, then his brain caught up to what she had said. "Wait… did you say 'lab'?"

"By this time tomorrow, you can carbon date anything your heart desires," she replied, laughing at the sheer look of anxious glee that crossed his face. "But, you have to get better and out of here first, so I am going to leave you to rest."

"Oh, you don't have to leave yet, do you?" he asked, disappointed (though he wasn't sure if that was because his distraction was leaving, or because_ she_ was leaving). "You could stay for a little while, catch me up on all the latest base gossip or something."

"Well, I would like to stay, but I still have a few more things to check before the lab is finished- make sure it is stocked correctly and everything. Dr. Riley, who is going to be in there, is waiting for me with a list." She said and he nodded dejectedly. "But, if you want, I can come back later?"

"That would be great." He nodded, surprised at how much he hoped she would. "And thanks again for bringing me the journal."

"You're welcome," she replied and back out of the curtain. Just before she disappeared, she poked her head back inside. "By the way, nice haircut. It suits you," she said and was gone. Grinning self-consciously, he ran his hand over his head again. Okay, maybe he would keep the hair short…

* * *

True to her word, she did return later and sat with him while he picked at his dinner. It wasn't that he wasn't hungry, they were just too busy talking.

"So, where did you grow up?" he asked curiously and she leaned back in the chair beside the bed.

"Well, I was born in Florida, but we moved to Tennessee when I was about 6. I lived there until I went to college." She replied.

"Really? You don't have an accent that I can detect," he said and she laughed.

"Aw, ya mean like this?" she asked, slipping effortlessly into an extreme hillbilly- type accent. "I ain't had no accent since I was a kid."

"Wow, now that is an accent!" he laughed with her and she resumed her regular speech.

"That was pushing it, a bit, but not by much. I didn't speak in school for two years because I didn't sound like the other kids until I began to pick up the accent. But then, in 8th grade, I decided I didn't want to sound like that anymore. I wanted to speak more proper- not stiff, but at least a bit more grammatically correct. So, I broke myself of it as much as I could." She explained with a shrug.

"I know what you mean. When I came to the States when I was a kid, I didn't sound like other kids in New York, either. It was awkward, to say the least."

"It's amazing how cruel kids can be…" she muttered and he nodded.

They sat there and talked for over an hour, and Chris only reluctantly left after Janet threatened to kick her out. Visiting hours were up and Daniel needed to get some rest. With a smile and quiet "Goodnight," she left.

* * *

A couple of days later, he limped off the elevator on Level 15 and immediately had to clamp his hands over his ears. The ungodly loud music was deafening, made all the louder by its echoing off the concrete walls. Wincing, he made his way down the hall to her office and saw her sitting at her desk, her head nodding in time to the music. There was no point in knocking- she wouldn't have heard it anyway- so he waited until the song was over and loudly cleared his throat, hoping she would (or could) hear him.

"Oh, hey!" she said and quickly turned off the stereo. "Sorry about that, but you just can't beat Evanescence for concentration."

"I'll take your word for it," he replied, wiggling a finger in his ear theatrically. "I just thought I would drop by and let you know that Dr. Riley and the lab are great. She really knows her stuff."

"Great! I'm glad it is working out for you," she said with a smile. He liked it when she did that… There was nothing else that he had to say- honestly, he could have just sent her a quick email- but he found himself wanting to see her, and now he didn't want to leave.

"Um, I'm about to meet the others for lunch. Would you like to join us?" he asked and she frowned.

"Oh… I don't think Colonel O'Neill would like that too much," she muttered. "I don't want to cause problems."

"It will be okay. Come on, you need to interact with people. Socialization is a necessity for humans to thrive." He said firmly and she couldn't help but grin.

"Okay, you twisted my arm. Let's go," she replied and, closing her laptop, followed him out.

They made their way down to the commissary, making small talk as they went. As soon as they walked into the room, she could feel eyes on her but did her best to ignore them as they went through the line and got the food.

"Hey, guys, I hope you don't mind, I asked Chris to join us for lunch," Daniel said as they walked over to the table with their trays. Chris suddenly felt like she was back in school, facing the group of "cool kids." Maybe this time they wouldn't laugh and throw food at her…although, judging from his glare, she wouldn't put it past the Colonel. Thankfully, Sam came to her rescue and scooted over to make room between her and Daniel.

"Have a seat, Chris," she said and Chris tentatively sat down, giving her a grateful smile. "How is it going with all those requisitions? I heard you got a boat-load from the Training team."

"Oh, only about a hundred." Chris laughed quietly. "It really is amazing just how much people ask for sometimes."

"How dare people need stuff?" Jack muttered sarcastically, his eyes resting coolly on her and she quickly fell silent.

"Jack…" Daniel growled warningly. He understood that Jack didn't trust her, but that was no reason to be so rude. "She was just making small talk."

"Whatever. I've got reports to do," the Colonel grunted and stood, leaving.

"Don't worry about him, Chris. Once you're on his good side, he is a teddy bear." Daniel assured her and she nodded, forcing a small smile onto her face. Reaching over, he squeezed her hand gently, and they continued with their meal.

* * *

He couldn't believe Daniel would bring that spy to eat lunch with them! Why not just let Kinsey follow them around with cameras and be done with it, for cryin' out loud?! Shaking his head, he walked into his office (yes, he was aware that he had an office, regardless of what the others thought), and plopped down behind his desk to stew. He had to nip this whole "Domani" thing in the bud before… His thoughts trailed off as he saw the box on the corner of his desk and reached for it. Wrapped in simple brown paper, he saw a note attached to the front and opened it. In neat handwriting, it said, "_I can't justify this purchase through the SGC, but I hooked you up anyway. Enjoy!- C.D.". _ Frowning, he briefly wondered if it was a bomb…then proceeded to open it anyway. He loved gifts, regardless of the sender. Inside was a brand new, top of the line Gameboy and he leaned back, looking at it. Turning it over in his hands. His initial excitement quickly faded. Frown deepening, he stood and left his office, the box firmly under his arm.

* * *

She couldn't help but grin as she walked out of the elevator and headed down the hall. O'Neill aside, she had found the members of SG1 to be quite friendly and welcoming- even Teal'c, the Jaffa- joking with her and commiserating over the fact that they couldn't discuss work outside of the base. They had all laughed when she had told them about telling her mother that Cheyenne Mountain was a private ski resort with lots of famous people. As far as her mom knew, she was hob-nobbing with celebrities every day.

Turning into her "Cave" as they now called her office, her grin immediately faded at finding none other than Jack O'Neill standing behind her desk. He was looking at the pictures she had put up on the small shelf.

"Colonel O'Neill… what a surprise," she said stiffly and he glanced over at her briefly before turning back to the photos.

"This your family?" he asked.

"Yes," she said tightly.

"You close to them?"

"Sorta… I'm close to my mom, at least" She replied, frowning in confusion. "Is there something I can-"

"Why did you get me the Gameboy?" he asked, cutting her off and turning to face her. "There was no way to justify it, and I knew that, but you got it for me anyway. Why?"

"Because I understand to need for distractions, how they provide psychological relief and-"

"Cut the psycho-babble talk. Why did you get it?" he demanded and she sighed, throwing her hands in the air.

"To be nice, okay?" she said, plopping down on the sofa. "I thought, if I was nice and got it for you, you might like me, or at least not hate me so much."

"I can't be bought off," he said firmly and she rolled her eyes.

"That wasn't…nevermind," she muttered dejectedly. "Keep it, give it away, whatever. It doesn't matter…" Frowning, he walked over and stared at her for a long time. He was good at reading people, and from what he could see in her eyes, she was being honest, at least about this.

"To be clear, I don't trust you," he said and she laughed dryly.

"You couldn't be more clear if you spat in my face."

"But I don't hate you," he continued and she looked up at him, confused. "Choice of employers aside, you seem to be doing a lot of good around here. Even Hammond is beginning to like you and your work, and I take that into consideration. It isn't something we are used to, though, and it is hard to not feel like there is a catch somehow."

"No catch for you, Colonel," she said quietly and he frowned at her choice of words, but decided against commenting on it.

"See that there isn't… and… thanks for the Gameboy," he said uncomfortably and left. She couldn't help but feel like it was a small victory and her grin returned.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Thank you guys SOOOOO MUCH for the reviews! They really are helping to keep the story going! Let me know if there is something you don't care for. This chapter, in part, will revolve around the episode "Legacy," just to give you a heads up. Enjoy and keep feeding those reviews to my muse, please!

Chapter 6

"Oh, great! You're still here," Daniel said, rushing into her office. "I really need this approved as soon as possible, if you can."

"What is it?" she sighed tiredly.

"There is a microscope that I need to be able to see the writing on this tablet that SG10 brought back. The ones we have just aren't strong enough, but if this says what I think it says, it may-"

"Just… let me see it." She grumbled and he passed her the form. As he waited for her to look over the request, he took a moment to really look at her. Obviously, she had assumed that the base was long empty and had changed into her more civilian, comfortable clothes: jeans and a sheer, blue tank top. His body reacted instantly at the sight but was curbed when he began to notice other things- like the dark bags under her eyes and the wrinkles lining her forehead from too much stress. Her skin, tanned and olive in color when she first arrived, was now pale and a bit pasty.

"Chris, when is the last time you were outside the mountain?" he asked.

"I don't know… Why?" she replied without looking up. Shaking his head, he reached over and snatched the paper from her hands. "Hey, I need to read that if-"

" It can wait. Come with me," he said.

"Daniel, I have a lot of work to do."

"Come on," he said firmly and help out his hand to her. "Trust me. It wont take long."

Looking up, she mentally groaned. Oh, those blue puppy-dog eyes were a dangerous, deadly weapon, and he knew just how to use them on her. Unable to resist, she shook her head and took his hand, that electric tingle that they always felt at any kind of contact flooding through them both. Neither commented on it, but she reluctantly let go and he led her out of the office and to the elevator.

"Daniel, where are we going?" she asked as they walked out through the checkpoint and then straight through the garage where everyone parked their cars.

"It's night out, so it wont do much for your tan or Vitamin D, but you need some fresh air, so it will have to do," he explained as they cleared the garage and walked out past the road. She followed him silently, wondering just where the hell he was taking her as they walked into the woods and up the side of the mountain. It wasn't too steep, thankfully, and he went slow so that she would be able to keep up. Finally, they came to a clearing near the top and he stopped.

"Okay…" she muttered, confused, and he turned to her.

"I come up here every now and then, just to, you know, clear my head and stuff." He explained and she nodded, understanding that this was likely a secret place that only he (and every security guard on base) knew about.

"It's nice… very quiet," she commented and he grinned.

"Look up," he murmured and she did, gasping immediately. Far above them were billions of stars, clear as a bell without the ambient light of the base from below them. The haze of the Milky Way stretched across the sky, cutting it half and revealing even more of the universe than she had seen in a long while.

"It's beautiful," she breathed. For a long time, they just stood, staring up in companionable silence, lost in their own little world together. She could feel her body soaking in the clean, crisp air, and her mind focused on nothing but the tiny pinpoints of light above her. It wasn't until he noticed her shiver that he remembered that she was still only in a tank top, and the air was far too cool for that to be comfortable. Since he had a long sleeved t-shirt on beneath his BDUs, he removed his overshirt and moved behind her, draping it over her shoulders. Instead of moving away after, however, he left them there, enjoying the contact for a moment. Being so close, he could smell her shampoo and body wash- a mix of lavender, sandalwood, and something citrusy- and he breathed in the scent. He knew it was wrong somehow, being this close to her, and the longer they stood there, the weaker his resolve became. Shaking his head, he stepped back and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Maybe we should go in… before you catch cold…" he muttered and she reluctantly nodded.

"Yeah, you're probably right," she sighed. "Thank you, Daniel. You were right, I really needed this."

"Hey, what are friends for?" he replied with a grin and they headed inside.

"This is ridiculous!" Chris yelled angrily and Janet sighed. A week had passed since her mini-vacation to the top of the mountain with Daniel and she wished with everything she was that they could just go back to that moment. "He is well outside the average age for onset, had no symptoms before 3 days ago, understands that what he is seeing is crazy- and crazy people don't know that they are crazy! He is NOT delusional!"

"Then why is he seeing things, Chris?" Janet asked. "I have done every test I possibly can, multiple times, and everything shows normal."

"There has to be something that you're missing, maybe something from the planet they were just on that we cant test for. Regardless, he does not belong in that hospital and I demand that you get him out of there!"

"And what would you have us do with him, Ms. Domani?" Dr. MacKenzie asked coolly. "Let Dr. Jackson run around here, attacking people-"

"He didn't attack anyone. He was trying to save Jack from a parasite," she growled.

"A parasite that was not there and only he could see," he pointed out. "Now, I know you and SG1, and everyone else around here care about Daniel, but he is my patient and will remain in the facility until I say otherwise. Now, why don't you go and do your job while I do mine? Im sure there are plenty of numbers you can crunch or something," he said and Chris's face turned red in fury.

"Crunch some numbers? How about I go crunch the numbers on what we pay to idiots like you?" she threatened. "I'm sure it is an expense that could easily be written off of the next budget for this program."

"Fire me if you want, but Daniel Jackson will remain in my care until then," he replied flippantly. Gritting her teeth, she turned and stormed out of the infirmary, nearly plowing over Colonel O'Neill as she did.

"Sorry," she muttered but her shook his head.

"It's okay. I understand." He replied. "I had the same argument with that ass hat as you just did… didn't get any further, either."

"It doesn't make any sense, Colonel. How can they just lock him up like that?" she asked and he sighed.

"I don't know, but we aren't just going to leave him there, and we haven't given up on him. We are doing everything we can think of, Chris." He said gently and she nodded. Trust issues or not, it was obvious that she cared for his friend, too, and for that he gave her some points. "Look, we are going to see him in a few minutes. Do you want to come along?"

"No… I need to do some research on something, first. I will go see him later this afternoon, though." She replied and he nodded, patting her shoulder. "Thanks."

"See ya later." He said and left.

A few hours later, she followed the nurse down the hall, taking a steadying breath as she went. She hated hospitals of any kind, had spent far too much time in them growing up, but she was willing to set aside her aversion to help a man she considered a friend. That in itself said something- she had made a habit of avoiding any kind of relationship with other people over the years, but there was something about Daniel that she just couldn't resist.

Her thoughts were cut off as the nurse stopped in front of the door at the end of the hall.

"5 minutes, and if he becomes agitated, let me know and I will come in there," he said and she glared at his enthusiasm.

"I will be fine. Open the door," she said and he shrugged, unlocking the door and letting her go inside.

She saw Daniel sitting against the wall, knees pulled up to his chest, his head down. The white scrubs gave him a terrible, pale look that only enhanced the awfulness of what was happening to him, and she felt a pang of heartache shoot through her at the sight.

"Daniel?" she said quietly, and his head lifted. It was immediately obvious that he was having trouble focusing on her and she knelt down a few feet in front of him, smiling as warmly as possible.

"Chris?" he questioned groggily and she nodded. "Real?"

"Yes, Daniel, I'm real." She replied and a slow smile spread across his face. Without warning, he moved and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Thank god!" he choked and she hugged him back, fighting tears. She could feel him shaking violently against her and she realized he was crying softly into her hair. "I don't want to be here anymore, Chris… Please… Get me out of here…" he sobbed quietly and she stroked his back soothingly.

"I'm trying, Daniel. I swear to god, I am trying," she murmured, throat tight.

"Teal'c…. it went into him… Machello's device.." he muttered and she nodded, placating him. "I tried to tell the others, told MacKenzie… I told him to call the SGC and ask if Teal'c is okay.. I… I don't know if he did…"

"Don't worry. I'll check, okay? Everything is going to be fine…" she replied and he pulled from her, rubbing his eyes hard.

"They gave me drugs… I… I cant think straight…Chris, please, get me out of here…" he begged and, swallowing hard, she touched his face, forcing his eyes to focus on her.

"I know. Trust me, Daniel, I know this is hard on you, but we are going to get you out and away from here. You just have to hang on, okay?" she said and he nodded, giving her a watery grin.

"Not much choice…" he said and she smiled back at his joke. She felt the urge to hug him again, but knew their time was up and she had a mission to complete.

"Daniel, I have to go. Just… trust me, okay? Im going to make sure you get out of here."

"Don't leave… please…" he begged again and this time she lost the battle against her tears.

"It is only for a little while, I promise, but I have to go." She repeated and tore herself away from him. Once outside the room, she bent a sucked in a great breath of air, calming herself.

"Looney as a tune, isn't he?" the nurse said and she nearly slapped his face right there.

"Take me to MacKenzie. Now." She growled and he rolled his eyes, leading her down another hallway. Walking in, she slammed the door behind her and the doctor jumped, looking up.

"Ms. Domani…" he sighed.

"Have you called the base, yet?" she demanded and he leaned back in his chair.

"You've seen Dr. Jackson, I see," he replied and she nodded.

"He told you to call the SGC and ask about Teal'c. Have you?"

"No. I don't make a habit of playing into my patients' delusions." He replied and she leaned over his desk, inches from his face.

"Maybe you don't, but you do have a habit of committing them, don't you? In fact, I did some research into this place. Does the SGC know that you're getting a kickback for every patient that you drag in here and lock up?"

"I…uh…" he stammered and she nodded, grinning wickedly.

"That's what I thought. They would probably question your medical opinion just a bit if they knew that, wouldn't they? Then you wouldn't get your fat little bonus from dragging Daniel in here." She hissed. "Now, you can make one simple phone call to the base and ask about Teal'c, like Daniel asked you to, or I will let your little secret out to the SGC, and every other facility that you are dabbling in, and you'll have to go before an ethics board, which will no doubt result in losing your license to practice ever again. Which will it be, _Doctor _MacKenzie?"

"Fine. I will call," he muttered and she stood upright again as he reached for his phone.

Two days later, Daniel walked into her office. He was still a bit on the pale side, and she could see his hands tremble ever so slightly, but his eyes were clear and he had a look of relief on his face.

"Hey, how are you feeling? How are the others?" she asked, although she already knew. News traveled fast around the base, even into her little "cave."

"Everyone seems to be cured. Janet put us on stand down for the rest of the week, just in case, but otherwise everyone is fine." He replied, then grinned slightly. "Did you hear about MacKenzie? Semms an anonymous source let it slip that he was getting money for patients he brought into the hospital. The SGC is terminating his contract and Hammond, himself, reported him to the ethics committee."

"Really? Well, I cant say that I am sorry to hear about that. I, uh, wonder who the source was that told on him." She replied and he grinned knowingly.

"Yeah, I wonder," he hummed, the looked down and wrapped his arms around himself. "Thank you, Chris. I, uh, vaguely remember you visiting me in the hospital and… I really appreciate you fighting for me the way you did."

"That's what friends are for, right?" she replied, parroting his words from the mountain top, and he nodded, smiling at her.

"Right."

AN: So? What did you think? I know, I know, the ending was complete cheese, but I promise to limit how much cheese is in this story as much as I can. Review, please! The next chapter is written, just not typed, and if I get a few reviews, I may be inclined to type it all up tonight and post it ;-)


	7. Chapter 7

AN: To anyone wondering, it isn't that I don't like Teal'c. It is just really hard to write in someone that doesn't freaking talk! And, let's all agree, he didn't really say much these first few seasons… I promise I will get him in here eventually. Just bear with me in the meantime, please.

Chapter 7

"Chris, you ready?" he asked, knocking on her office door, which opened a moment later. She was dressed in black jeans and a wine-colored shirt that hugged her form perfectly and Daniel had to give himself a mental kick.

"Are you sure about this, Daniel? I mean, it is supposed to be team-bonding night, and last I check, I am not part of the team," she said but he shook his head.

"Trust me, everyone will be glad you are there," he replied. "After this last mission, having fresh meat there will distract them from the awkwardness and maybe we can all get past it."

"Oh, so you are just using me," she said and he nodded, grinning.

"Yep! Now, come on! They will be waiting on us and god forbid Jack and Sam actually have to talk about their feelings," he replied sarcastically and she laughed, following him out. She had heard all about the weird, alternate reality thing and everyone knew about Jack kissing Dr. Carter. From what she had been told, neither had said a word about it to anyone and the whole team's mojo was off. Tonight was Jack's idea on a way to set things straight…without actually setting anything straight.

As they walked out into the garage, Daniel winced and turned to her. "Any chance you can drive? I told Janet my head was fine, but she is worried about a concussion and all…"

"Sure! No problem. I'm over here," she replied and led him over to where a big, bright blue, older SUV sat. "Daniel, meet Big Daddy Smurf!"

"Big Daddy Smurf?" he laughed and she nodded with pride. "I'm not even going to ask…I guess no one can miss you on the road in this thing."

"Nope, which is part of the point. All the latest technology, of course. It has both AM AND FM radio, and I even managed to install a tape player last year into him. I mean, they just don't make 'em like this anymore," she said and he shook his head, climbing in.

"There may be a reason for that, you know. Does it even have airbags?"

"Define 'airbags,'" she replied and he looked over, worried, and she laughed. "Yes, Daniel, he has airbags. But, I still believe in seatbelts, so buckle up!"

"Maybe I should have chanced driving with the concussion…" he muttered, snapping his seatbelt in place as she screeched out of the garage.

* * *

"Hey, there they are," Sam said in relief as she spotted Daniel and Chris walking into O'Malley's. Waving at them, she nearly jumped up and hugged them each, glad to not be sitting alone in awkward silence with the Colonel anymore.

"This place looks nice. Is the food any good?" Chris asked, sitting down.

"Not sure. They just opened it up a couple of weeks ago," Sam replied.

"Beer is good," Jack contributed and she noticed that it wasn't his first one of the night, judging from the numerous empty glasses on the table between them.

"What'll it be, honey?" the waitress asked, approaching them. Daniel ordered a beer and Chris ordered a lemonade.

"Lemonade?" Jack questioned and she nodded.

"I'm driving, so no drinking for me. And I don't drink soda." She explained with a shrug.

"A famous actor once said that he didn't trust anybody that didn't drink." Jack said and Chris grinned.

"Humphrey Bogart, my favorite," she replied and he nodded, impressed.

"Here's looking at you, kid," he said in his best imitation of the actor and Chris laughed.

"Best movie ever," she sighed, then looked down. "Thanks for inviting me out tonight, guys. I really needed to escape that mountain for a while."

"You know, you can go home occasionally," Sam said but Daniel stepped in.

"The base is Chris's home. She sleeps in her office," he said and the Major's jaw dropped.

"You're kidding! You haven't gotten a place, yet?" she asked and Chris shook her head.

"No, not yet. I don't like getting locked into anything especially when I may not be there for long. I, uh, like having options when the time comes," she replied sheepishly.

"When what time comes?" Jack asked but before Chris could answer, the waitress returned with their drinks and the conversation turned away. He let the topic drop for the moment but filed it away in his mind.

A couple of hours later, bellies full and needing to move around a bit, the group wandered over to the pool tables where Sam and Chris began a game. The guys stood over to the side, sipping their beers and watching the two women. Jack still hadn't forgotten the comment earlier, but as he turned to Daniel to ask about it, he noticed something else. His eyes were focused dreamily on the woman before him and Jack shook his head.

"Daniel, you're staring," he said and the younger man shot him a frown.

"What do you mean? I'm just watching the game," Daniel replied.

"No, you're watching Chris. You haven't looked awa…." Suddenly, it was all clear and his jaw dropped. "Oh my god… You like her!"

"Jack, shut up. Yes, I like her. She is a nice person and a coworker-"

"No, you _like like _her!" Jack hissed and Daniel's frown turned into an eye roll.

"What, are you _12_? And have you forgotten that I am married?"

"No... have you?" Jack asked and Daniel faced him dead on. Jack held up his hands placatingly before he got slugged. "Okay, maybe that wasn't fair, but… Look, it's none of my business, but Sha're is still out there. And while I am starting to warm up to the kid, there is something going on with Chris that just isn't right."

"Jack, what is it going to take for you to trust her?!" Daniel exploded, then lowered his voice, realizing the others may hear him. "She has done nothing but keep her word since day one, helping us and the SGC. She is nice, friendly, and- Hell, I probably would still be in that damn hospital and Teal'c would probably be dead by now if not for her!"

"I know, I know, and you're right. But, Im telling you, Daniel, something is up with her. And, Sha're aside, you need to remember just who her employer still is," Jack said and Daniel slammed down his empty beer glass.

"Yeah, well, thank for the unsolicited advice, '_Dad,'_" he shot back and then turned on his heel, walking away. Shaking his head, Jack looked back over at the game and continued trying to figure out just what it was about Chris what unsettled him.

* * *

"Thanks again for inviting me tonight, Daniel. I had a great time," Chris said later as she drove him home.

"Yeah, it was fun," he muttered. His conversation with Jack was still weighing heavily on his mind. He knew Jack was right- he was attracted to Chris- but he loved Sha're and he needed to set things right before someone got hurt. "Chris, I need to tell you something…"

"Okay. Wh-"

"Im married." He winced as soon as the words were blurted out and hung his head. Smooth, Danny. Real smooth. "Her name is Sha're and she…She was taken as a host for a Goa'uld during the second trip to Abydos. The whole reason I joined the program was because I need to find her and save her."

"I know all about Sha're, Daniel," Chris replied softly and he frowned in surprise. "I read your file a long time before I met you and the others."

"Oh..right. Chris, I am still in love with her and I won't- _I can't- _ give up on her." He said firmly, then looked down in guilt. "I'm sorry if I have led you to believe anything else."

"Daniel, no. I would never expect you to give up on your wife. I really am okay just being friends," she assured him and he sighed in relief, but then it was her turn to frown. "You are okay with being friends, right?"

"Oh, yes, of course. Chris, not to give you mixed signals, but I do care about you. I just needed to set the record straight and make sure we were on the same page."

"Don't worry, we're good. Same page," she nodded and stopped the car in front of his home. "See ya tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." He nodded and, giving her hand a squeeze, got out and she drove away.

Heading back into the SGC, she felt light and happy for the first time in ages. She had a job she loved, friends that cared about her, and everything seemed to just be falling into place. She hadn't been hurt by her talk with Daniel, in fact he had simply beaten her to the discussion, and she was glad it had turned out well.

Walking into her office, she flipped on the lamp closest to the door, and it cast a light across the room… and onto the man sitting behind her desk.

* * *

AN: Okay, there is the next bit. I am holding the next chapter hostage in hopes of getting some more reviews! (To those that have given me reviews, THANK YOU! This chapter was for you!). Who is the man? Is Chris hiding something? ARE DANIEL AND CHRIS EVER GOING TO GET AROUND TO DOING THE NASTY? Review and find out more!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"What the hell are you doing here, Kinsey?" she snarled.

"I could ask you the same thing. I see you're getting awfully chummy with SG1, particularly one Doctor Daniel Jackson," he replied and she rolled her eyes.

"First of all, who actually uses the word 'chummy'? And secondly, I thought that was what you wanted- for me to get information on them. I can't exactly do that if I am not around them, can I?" she shot back.

"Yes, but I didn't mean information like what kind of beer O'Neill drinks, or what Jackson's tonsils taste like," Kinsey said and she gritted her teeth.

"We don't have that kind of relationship. We've never-" she growled but he just waved her off.

"Whatever. I don't give a damn what- or who- you are doing to get information. But I put you here for a reason. How much longer are you going to take to get me what I want?" he demanded but she shook her head.

"I think you should just let it go, Kinsey. They're all clean as whistles," she said but he grinned back at her and stood.

"Let it go? You mean, like I let that thing with your brother go?" he asked and she moved to him, eyes dark with fury.

"Get. Out." She gritted through bare teeth, fuming and he towered over her, trying to stare her down.

"You better remember what your real job is here, Ms. Domani. Get me what I want or certain information may just slip out. And what would your precious new friends think about you then? What about your mother?" he sneered and she reluctantly looked away. With a dark chuckle, he nodded, satisfied. "Remember the plan. I look forward to your report." And with that, he left her office.

As the door shut, she slammed her hand down on the top of the desk in anger. Only minutes ago, everything was finally good, dammit! Well, there was one thing he was right about: she was here for a reason and, consequences be damned, it was time to focus on her real job.

AN: Well, there it is, guys. The big question now is, has Chris been lying this whole time? What is Kinsey talking about? What will happen from here? And what is the plan? I know it was short, but I wanted it to stand alone. Longer ones in the future but seriously, feed me reviews and I will post faster! I promise! If there is something you like/don't like, let me know! I promise, the romance stuff is on its way, and questions will be answered, but I need some feedback so I know what you are thinking! Thanks!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

He stepped off the elevator and immediately knew something was wrong. Everyone had learned over the past few months how to read Chris's moods by her music choice. Whitney Houston or Celine Dion- normally happy (a good time to request something expensive); Classical or simple instrumental- productive (possibly good, but usually too busy and you won't get a fast response to your request); Country- homesick and quiet (best not to disturb her). Today, though? Today she was playing Three Days Grace and he turned around to leave. She was in a bad mood and was likely to snap anyone's head off that entered her "cave."

Pausing, he wondered if it had something to do with their discussion from the night before. She had known about Sha're and had said she was fine with being friends. He thought they had left it on a good note, but now he considered that maybe he had read her wrong. He hadn't meant to hurt her… Deciding to not let the situation stew, he mustered up his courage and walked down to her office.

Once there, he reached inside the doorway and flickered the lights- his signal to her that he was there. She glanced over, her eyes dark, then slapped the stereo into silence.

"What do you need?" she grunted, looking back at her computer screen, and he frowned.

"Nothing, um… You okay?" he asked and she nodded without looking over at him.

"Busy," she muttered.

"Okay… well, I was heading to lunch and thought you might want to join us-"

"I said, I'm busy." She growled and he took a step forward.

"Chris, um, are we okay? I thought we were, but if we aren't, tell me and we can talk about-"

"There is nothing to talk about, Daniel. You're married, we're 'friends,' end of discussion, okay? Now, I have a lot of work to do." She snapped and turned her back to him. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he silently backed out the door and left.

The guilt hit her as soon as he was gone and she had to resist the urge to run down the hall and apologize. As much as it hurt both of them, this was for the best. A little hurt now would be much easier to handle than what was to come later if she didn't force him away. Rubbing her eyes roughly, she swallowed back her tears and kept working.

* * *

"Daniel, you okay?" Sam asked as they left the Briefing Room. He had been unusually quiet throughout the meeting and she knew something was wrong.

"Yeah…" he sighed, then shook his head. "No. I think I hurt Chris last night."

"Hurt her?"

"When she was driving me home, we talked about Sha're and everything…" he said and Sam nodded, understanding. "She seemed okay at the time. We said everything was fine between us, that being friends is good and she understood that I didn't mean to seem like I was leading her on or anything like that. But then I went to see her today and she was angry- practically kicked me out of her office. Sam, I really do care about her- as a friend, of course. "

"Of course," Sam nodded. In truth, she has noticed the closeness of the two and how Daniel could barely keep his eyes off of her, but she decided to not comment on that for now. "Maybe it doesn't have anything to do with you. Maybe there is something else going on."

"Like what?" he asked and she shrugged.

"I don't know, but try not to take it personally or read too much into it. yet. If there was a problem, Chris would tell you, I'm sure." She said and he nodded slowly. "Come on, let's get this mission out of the way and then we can try to figure it out. At the very least, it will give her some time and space."

"Yeah, maybe you're right." He nodded and they headed for the locker rooms.

* * *

Leaning back, she looked at the report in front of her with numb satisfaction. It was almost finished, like a bomb waiting on a detonator, and with just a couple more tweaks, she would be ready to send it. The thought of what would happen twisted her stomach and she sighed heavily. It wasn't the right time, she told herself. Just a little longer, just a little more information… just a little more time… Saving it, she moved it into the correct folder and turned to the stack of requisitions. Before she could even look at the first one, however, everything went dark.

"What the-" she muttered, but was cut off by… singing? Turning to the doorway, she saw a soft glow coming towards her door and then it hit her. The song was "Happy Birthday."

"_Happy Birthday, Chris… Happy Birthday to you,_" sang SG1 as they walked into her office, a cake with candles on it in Jack's arms. There was no way to hide her grin as the lights came on and she saw they were all wearing silly hats- even Teal'c.

"Guys, this is great but it isn't my birthday," she said, standing and walking over to them.

"We know, it was last week. But, we missed it and decided it was better late than never." Daniel said.

"How did you even find out?" she asked and Jack laughed.

"It's the SGC, kid. We have access to everything! Now, come on and blow out the candles so we can eat this bad boy," he said and she obeyed immediately. Closing her eyes, she sent up the one wish that she needed to come true more than anything else in the world and blew the candles out.

"This is great. Thank you," she said sincerely. As the others walked over to her desk and began to dish out the cake, Daniel moved to her side. "Why do I have a feeling this was your doing?"

"I thought about how you were in a bad mood a few days ago and wondered if maybe something was bothering you other than, you know, our talk. So, I had Sam do a little research and we saw that your birthday was last week while we were on our mission." He explained and she sighed. "I figured, even if that wasn't what was bothering you, it would at least cheer you up a little."

"Daniel, I'm sorry for being such a jerk the other day when you came in here. I have a lot on my plate right now and… We really are okay, you and me." She said and he smiled at her. Reaching over, she hugged him tightly and he gladly returned the embrace. The now-familiar warmth filled her, bringing both love and dread with it. The thought of what was coming made her heart ache and she couldn't help but hug him just a little tighter. Here was a man that was her friend, that trusted her, and she was about to destroy all of that. "I'm sorry, Daniel."

"It's okay. Friends have disagreements. We're okay." He replied quietly, not realizing that she was referring to something else. "Now, come on. Let's get some of that cake before Jack eats it all."

* * *

She hurried down to the infirmary, having heard that SG1 was back from their rescue mission. It had only been a few hours ago that they had suddenly been called away, an urgent message from off-world calling for help. Now that they were back, she had this sinking feeling that something had gone wrong.

"Jack!" she called, seeing the Colonel walking out of the infirmary. Covered in dirt and sweat, it was obvious he had been in a firefight of some sort. "Is everyone okay?"

"Not exactly… Daniel…" he muttered and she paled. "He was caught in one of those ribbon device things for a long time."

"Is he going to be okay?" she asked, unable to hide the worry in her voice, and he sighed.

"Frasier says he will heal up in a few days, but…" He trailed off, shaking his head for a moment. "Chris, Sha're was there. She's dead."

* * *

AN: Not sure how I feel about this chapter, but I wanted to get something up for you guys. Let me know, please! I LOVED the reviews that you guys left for me and I immediately started writing once they came in. The next chapter will be longer, I promise. Thank you all and R&R!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Hey, I brought that req form for the new radio transmitter for the UAVs," Sam said as she walked into Chris's office a couple of days later.

"Great, thanks. Just put it in the tray and I will get to it today." Chris replied. Sam noticed the quiet music playing behind her, an obvious sign that she was feeling down just like everyone else was. "How is he doing?" she asked and Sam sighed.

"He is quiet. Not really talking to anyone about it, yet. He told me that Sha're helped him somehow through the hand device, but that is it," Sam replied. "I'm worried about him."

"Yeah, I know…Me, too." Chris sighed heavily.

"I gave him the journal you sent down for him. He appreciated it, I think," the Major said and Chris nodded. "I'm guessing you still haven't been down to see him?"

"I know, I need to go. It's just…" Chris paused, gathering her thoughts. "Sam, Daniel and I are just friends, but… there _is_ something more there. We both feel it, you know? But I know he loves… loved… Sha're and I would never, ever have come between that. Now, though…"

"Now that she is gone, you don't know how to act around him," Sam finished for her and Chris nodded sullenly.

"What if I go see him and he thinks I am trying to, I don't know… jump into his life right after he just lost his wife? I don't want to do that, and I don't want to seem insensitive or make things awkward between us by being there." Chris explained and it was Sam's turn to nod.

"Chris, I understand your reasoning. And while it is obvious to everyone that you two are, well... close, Daniel needs his friends right now. Regardless of any other stuff between you two, he needs you and you need to go see him. Let him know you are there for him as his friend. Daniel will understand that."

"Maybe you're right… When is the funeral?" Chris asked.

"Tomorrow morning. Janet is going to release him when it is time to go, but he will be in the infirmary until then." Sam said.

"Okay. Thanks, Sam." She replied and watched as Sam left the office.

* * *

Later that afternoon, she walked to the curtained off area at the far end of the infirmary. Truth be told, Janet was only keeping him there to keep an eye on his mental state, which everyone wholly agreed with. Taking a steadying breath, she cleared her throat to announce herself and walked through the curtain.

He was sitting up in the bed, a picture of Sha're in his hands. He wasn't crying, but judging from the red puffiness of his eyes, he had been. The spot on his forehead was still red, but clearing up. As she moved to the side of his bed, he gave her a cursory glance but turned back to the picture immediately. Reaching out, she touched his arm, just to make that connection with him, but he pulled away from the contact and her hand retreated to her side. Struggling to find some kind of words of comfort, she began to talk quietly.

"My dad died when I was 17. Lung Cancer. He had never touched a cigarette in his life, always detested the habit, so it was a horrible irony. He fought it for a long time- chemo, radiation, herbal supplements, everything and anything that was recommended by anyone. But, after 2 years, none of it had worked.

When he died, I shut down. I felt so many things all at once that I couldn't cope with it all, you know? I was hurt that he had left, relieved that he wasn't in pain anymore, depressed because he had been my rock and I had no one to turn to… But mostly, I was angry. I couldn't understand why, as smart as everyone said I was, I couldn't find a way to save him. I had tried everything I could, nearly put myself in the hospital doing research all day and staying up with him all night, helping him wherever I could. But it wasn't enough- he died had anyway, and I felt alone with all this stuff inside of me.

For a long time, I blamed myself. I could only focus on my failure and losing him. But, I kept going for him. I had other issues to deal with and life kept going on whether I was ready or not. I threw myself into my school work. I was determined to make him proud of me, even if it was too late. Time passed and, without me even noticing, things began to change. I noticed that stuff that had reminded me of him didn't hurt as much. Instead of remembering how he died, I would remember other things, like how he taught me to play piano by ear. Instead of remembering how weak and frail he was in that last year, I remembered him lifting me with one arm up onto my horse when I was a kid. It changed for me… and it will change for you, too, Daniel. Eventually, you'll be able to think about her and, without even thinking about it, you'll smile. When it comes, let it happen. Don't fight it, okay?"

Receiving no response, and not knowing what else to say, she turned to leave, but he stopped her. Reaching out, he caught her hand and gripped it tightly, and she turned to look back at him.

"Thank you, Chris," he rasped tearfully and she gave him a small smile, squeezing his hand back.

"Hey, what are friends for?" she replied and, to her relief, saw the barest ghost of a smile cross his lips.

* * *

AN: There ya go! What do you guys think about that? I know, it kind of focused more on Chris and wasn't quite as hurt/comfort as I meant for it to be (not to mention shorter than I thought it would turn out to be). But, it felt right and it felt like something that would help Daniel more than the regular things people say when you lose someone. Hope you liked it, and I promise that the big reveal is coming soon-ish. Also, be aware that the content will be turning more mature in the coming chapters. If you are under 18, you probably shouldn't read it… just saying…


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Slamming the door behind her, she leaned back against it and took a steadying breath. She knew she had no right to be angry- they were just friends and if he wanted to bang the first psychotic blonde bimbo he came across, then it wasn't any of her business. So then why had she felt the sudden rush of coldness when she had seen him kiss her as he walked out of her room? Why did she feel tears prickling her eyes right now? Why did she have the urge to throw something at Daniel Jackson's head? Before she could even begin to answer the questions, there was a knock on the door.

"Chris, it's Daniel," he said from the other side. "Let me in."

"No… I don't want to talk to you right now," she replied as firmly as her voice would allow.

"Come on, Chris. I know what you saw, and I know what you're thinking, but you don't understand." At that, she yanked the door open and glared at him.

"What is there to understand, Daniel? You were coming out of her room and you were kissing her- Her! Of all people! I mean, I get that your wife just died- what? Two weeks ago? - and you're finally able to see or _do_ whoever you want now. I just thought didn't think the first person you would screw would be the DESTROYER OF WORLDS!" she yelled, and his eyes went cold.

"That is not who she…. No! You know what? I am sick of defending her and myself against everyone. Not you, or Jack, nor anyone else has the right to judge me!" he shouted back angrily, then lowered his voice. "You're just jealous because it wasn't you I came to instead."

Maybe it was the viciousness behind them, or perhaps the truth in them, but the words were like a slap to the face and she physically recoiled from them.

"Go to hell," she hissed and slammed the door in his face.

A week passed and they both did everything they could to avoid one another. Chris took to eating later in the day so as to not run into him in the cafeteria, and Daniel sent any requisitions to her via one of his interns. As if that wasn't bad enough, they both were nothing but miserable sots the whole week. Daniel was snapping at anyone in his vicinity, and not a single request had been approved since the fight (with few exceptions). Everyone had done what they could to avoid both of the two until it was just too much.

"That's it! I've had it with you two!" Jack yelled, storming into her office and Chris quickly hid the file she was working on before looking at him. "Look, I don't know what exactly went down between you and Daniel, but he has been nothing but a miserable bastard since then! Would you please talk to him and sort this crap out?"

"There's nothing to sort out, Jack," she said coolly. "If Dr. Jackson wants to talk, he knows where I am."

"Oh, come on, kid. I promise, he is sorry for what he did, or didn't do, or said, or whatever the hell it is that you're pissed at him for. Can't you just, you know, forgive him?" he begged but she stood her ground.

"It's not that easy. He wants me to forgive him, then he can come and apologize," she replied.

"Fat chance," he muttered to himself, having already tried to reason with Daniel earlier that day. With a heavy sigh, he threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! At least I tried," he said and shook his head. "In the meantime, Hammond wants you to go down to the brig. Something about new security measures and stuff?"

"Great," she sighed, then stood. "Lead the way."

As they approached the door to the brig, Jack opened it and stood back, allowing her to enter first. But instead of following her inside, he quickly slammed the door shut and locked it behind her.

"What the hell? Jack! Open this door!" she demanded loudly. She tried in vain to pull it open, then kicked and banged on it hard.

"Don't bother, they wont open it," a voice said from behind her and she turned to see Daniel lounging on one of the cots.

"What is going on here? Jack, you let me out of here right now or so help me you won't get so much as a toothpick approved for the next year!" she yelled, turning away from Daniel.

"Oh, we will let you out, once you two have kissed and made up!" came the reply from outside and Chris shot a withering glare at Daniel.

"Not likely," she muttered, but gave up on the door, vowing to kill the Colonel the minute she was released. Moving to the bed on the other side of the room, she sat down and stared over at Daniel. "So, how did they sucker you in here? Did they tell you Aileen Wuornos was in here?" ***

"Ha ha. Very funny," he muttered sarcastically. "No... General Hammond said there was a prisoner brought back with SG9 that needed translating."

"Let me guess: the prisoner was supposedly blonde?" he said and he glared at her.

"You done?" he asked and she sighed, leaning back against the wall behind her.

"I make no promises," she replied loftily and he rolled his eyes. They fell into uncomfortable silence for a long while, both too stubborn to begin the conversation. Chris hoped she could out-wait her captors while Daniel knew better. There was no one more stubborn than Jack O'Neill, especially when supported by what must be half the SGC staff. With a mental groan, he sat up and faced her.

"Fine. I'll say it. I screwed up. I am a horrible person that said and did horrible things. Gee, can you ever forgive me?" he deadpanned and she gritted her teeth.

"Was that your apology?" she asked and he nodded. "Well, it sucked!"

"What do you want from me, Chris!? Do you want me to say that I am sorry for kissing Kira? Because I'm not! I will not apologize for taking just a little comfort after this long from someone that was offering it!" he snapped and she finally sat up to stare him down. "And if you want me to apologize for not coming to you for that comfort, well that's just tough, because I won't! I would never do that to you."

"Why?" she asked, torn between anger and hurt. She could feel tears fighting to escape but she forced them back. She tried for a wittier comeback, but there was nothing there. Just a need to know what exactly was so wrong with her.

"Because I care about you too much!" he blurted out and she frowned, confused.

"Okay… well, you sure have a weird way of showing it- by making out with another woman, who happens to be a serial killer…" she muttered. Shaking his head, he slowly moved to sit beside her.

"Chris… I am so screwed up right now that… I can't even consider having a real relationship with someone. Kira was… attractive and, well, _there_, but… She never meant anything, not really… not like what you mean to me, anyway. I suppose I knew that and, I guess I used her… I could never have used you like that." He said quietly, reaching over to take her hand with his. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, and I am sorry for what I said. I felt guilty for what I was doing and for what all else was going on, and I took it out on you, I suppose. Honey, I never meant to do that and… maybe someday, when… well…" He trailed off, not knowing how to finish the sentence, but she understood. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze back, she sighed and looked at him.

"Maybe someday…" she nodded. Leaning over, she rested against his should and he pulled her into a tight hug, both needing the contact and connection between them. Just friends, even fighting ones, they were drawn to each other and nothing could break that. "I'm not bleaching my hair, though…" she said and he laughed loudly.

"Good. I prefer brunettes, anyway," he chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Think it's safe to let them out, now?" Jack asked as he and the others watched the monitor showing the inside of the cell.

"I suggest we give them another few minutes, sir," Sam replied and he nodded. Glancing back at the monitor, where they were still sitting and holding each other, he stood.

"Fine, let them out when you feel ready, Major. I am going to go double my bet…" he said and left.

AN: Awwwww! How sweet! Right?! I just had to do something with Kira/Linea (sp?). Please keep those reviews coming in, guys! I especially need to know if this is going to slow or, god forbid, too fast. Good pace? Next few chapters will likely be…ahem… intense (for many different reasons- hint hint!). But you wont get them if I don't see the reviews! (bwahahahah! But seriously, I will post much faster with them than without). Okay, see ya later!


	12. Chapter 12

AN: A bit of mature content. This chapter deals primarily with the episodes, The Devil You Know and then Foothold. I realized that, with me jumping over episodes and not listing them, it could get confusing. Enjoy!

Chapter 12

She tasted of wine and something bitter, something he couldn't place. Her breasts were pressed against his chest, her tongue stroking along his as she moved above him. His hands rested lightly on her hips, feeling the warm, smooth skin there as he steadied and guided her. He could feel her gripping him inside tightly, the warm, wetness of her feeling both amazing and surreal.

"Daniel…" she moaned softly and he pulled her closer, even as her voice echoed around them. "Tell me…"

"Anything…" he gasped, his hips beginning to thrust up in counterpoint to hers, adding friction where they were joined. "Anything you want…"

"Tell me…the Asgard homeworld…" she panted and he frowned at the odd request. "God, Daniel… feel so good…"

"Chris," he sighed, his body moving faster as he felt her tighten around him. He pressed his face to her throat, licking the salt he found there, and lost himself in the moment.

"Please, Daniel… Tell me… the Asgard homeworld…" she groaned, grinding herself on him and he groaned loudly. Her nails found purchase on his shoulder as her hips stuttered in pleasure. "Please…I'm so close…. Just say it and we can both come, together…"

"N-no…" he gritted out, his brain finally registering that something was wrong. Against his body's urges, he stilled them both and looked up into her eyes. "No, I can't tell you that…"

"Daniel, I love you. Please, don't you want this?" she asked and tried to move again, but in a sudden, and rather painful move, he pushed her off of him.

"This isn't real…" he said firmly. "This isn't real…" Suddenly, his surroundings changed and Apophis's mangled face came into view. "I won't tell you anything!" His shout was answered by a sharp slap to the face that sent him flying to the floor. Great, now he had a concussion and blue balls. He really was in Hell, wasn't he?

* * *

"Come in, Chris," General Hammond said and she walked into his office.

"I was just bringing you the most recent report, sir." She said and handed him the folder.

"Thank you." He replied and she nodded, but he noticed that she hesitated before leaving. "No, I haven't heard anything from them, yet."

"It's been over a week, General." She said and he sighed, leaning back into his chair. "Considering where they were going, I can't help but worry that-"

"All we know is that we haven't heard from them, yet. SG1 has a knack for getting out of difficult situations, so my advice is to go back to work and try not to worry just yet." He replied quietly and she looked down.

"How do you keep from not worrying, sir?" she asked and he looked up at her with an expression of warmth and understanding.

"Why do you think I said 'try'?" he replied and she smiled slightly. "I'm guessing you have never been friends with soldiers, have you?"

"Not really, or at least, none that were actively going on missions to places known as Hell," she answered and he chuckled despite the worry. "My father was career military, but he was medically discharged when I was just a baby. Mom never really talked much about before, when he was deployed."

"It takes a special person to be friends, or more, with them." He said pointedly. "One of the hardest parts of going on missions is that it doesn't just affect those deployed. But, they need us to be strong for them just as much as we need them to come home to us. We just have to keep the faith that they will return."

"Yes, sir." She nodded quietly and he gave her a reassuring smile. "Thank you."

"You're welc-" He was cut off by the announcement of an unscheduled gate activation and he hurried out of the office and down to the Control Room, Chris anxiously following right behind him.

"Receiving an IDC….It's SG1," Sergeant Harriman said.

"Open the iris," Hammond ordered quickly and a moment later, they watched as the group walked through the gate- covered in dirt and grim, and looking a little worse for wear, but alive. Looking over to Chris, he smiled.

"Just a little faith," she said and he nodded, giving her a quick hug before going down to the Gate Room.

* * *

"Jack, we have a problem," Daniel said a week later as Jack walked into the room.

"You mean, worse than the fact we were just infiltrated by a bunch of ugly aliens?" Jack quipped and Daniel rolled his eyes.

"I've been helping with getting people down and accounted for, and Chris isn't here," he replied, and at that, the Colonel frowned. "In fact, no one can remember seeing her since before the incursion."

"Okay, that's odd. Maybe she managed to avoid them?" Jack suggested and Daniel nodded. "Let's go check her office and go from there."

Leaving, they headed up in the elevator and stepped out on Level 15. It was eerily quiet and dark, but not entirely unusual since only Chris usually resided up here. Walking down the hall, they found her door locked and Jack knocked.

"Chris? It's Jack and Daniel. You in there?" he called but received no reply. Digging out his keys, he found the master one that would open any door on the base and used it.

As soon as the door was open, they were assaulted by ungodly loud heavy metal music and bright lights that blinded them temporarily.

"I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE AND YOU ARE NOT TAKING ME!" Chris yelled from behind the desk and the two men had to force themselves to focus hard on her.

"Chris, it's really us! Turn that shit down!" Jack shouted over the noise, but she shook her head.

"No! I saw what you really are and I am NOT going with you!" she yelled back, moving out from behind the desk- a letter opened in her hand and being wielded like a knife. "GET OUT!"

"Chris, we know all about the incursion and I promise, it is really us!" Daniel said, but it was clear she didn't believe them. Taking a step forward, Jack made a move to grab her, but only managed to knock the letter opener from her hand. "Jack, be careful! She's-" But it was too late. With a cry, Chris tackled Jack with all of her 110 pounds. The Colonel, underestimating her, tried to grab her in a safety hold, but quickly found himself on the floor, multiple punches being thrown to his face.

"What the- GET HER OFF OF ME!" he cried, trying in vain to roll her, or at least grab her arms, but she was too quick. Within seconds, she had him in a hold instead, his arm creaking as she nearly broke it. "DANIEL! DO SOMETHING!" he screamed, trying to tap out frantically.

"Chris, it really is us! Let him go and we will prove it to you!" Daniel yelled but she held on.

"I saw some of your buddies earlier! I saw them change when they came up here!" she said loudly, the music still blaring around them. "They missed me, I was hiding, but I saw them! They flickered when they came in!"

"Flickered? But… The music! The music must have been what changed them! Chris, the aliens were affected but high-frequency noise!" Daniel reasoned and she paused, still holding onto Jack's arm enough that he was well and truly locked. "Was the music on when they came in?"

"Yes…" she nodded, thinking.

"Then that was it! Chris, if the music is what changes the aliens, then why aren't we changing?" he asked and she frowned. "Trust us- Let Jack go and we will show you that it really is us." He said. Reluctantly, she let Jack's arm go and the Colonel jumped away from her, rubbing his elbow. Quickly, Daniel walked over and turned the music off, his head pounding from it.

"There…" He sighed, his ears throbbing but relieved. "Jack, you okay?"

"I'll live." He muttered then turned to Chris. "What the hell was that?!"

"I probably should have warned you… Chris is a third-degree black sash in Wing Chun Kung Fu." Daniel said and Jack rounded on him.

"And you forgot to mention this?!" he cried, then looked back at Chris. Shaking his head, he stalked out of the room, mumbling as he went.

"At least she didn't bite me…"

* * *

"How is it going, Major?" General Hammond asked a few days later, walking into Sam's office.

"I have the high-frequency emitter ready to be placed beside the gate, sir. I was just looking over the technology that they left behind." Sam replied and he nodded.

"That can wait for a bit. I want you to check the computers on base and make sure they weren't tampered with. Look for anything that appears to be a virus or any signs that they may have managed to get additional information." He said and she nodded.

"Yes, sir," she nodded and he left. Great, instead of getting to play with the alien technology, she was going to have to spend the next three days checking every file on every computer on base…

* * *

AN: Hmmmm, every file on every computer? Whatever will Sam discover? R&R to find out! (That's right, the next chapter is the BIG REVEAL! But, I am holding it hostage for feedback!)


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

She sighed in relief as she set the last requisition form aside and leaned back in her chair. It had been a long day of paperwork and more paperwork and she would have been delighted to have never seen another number again for the rest of her life. The budget committee would be meeting soon to approve (or not approve) her new budget request, everyone on base was trying to get their last requests in before the cut-off, and she nervously realized that she hadn't heard a word from Kinsey in a while. Normally, the man sent her a message every other day, always dark and demanding. Normally, she just replied with a cursory "I'm working on it" response, which rarely sufficed but at least bought her some time. But, now that she thought about it, it had been at least a couple of weeks since he had made a sound, and it didn't sit well with her. Something was up, and she suspected it had to do with the upcoming meeting in DC. Her thoughts were sidetracked for the moment, though, by her office phone ringing.

"Chris Domani," she sighed, answering it.

"Ms. Domani, General Hammond has requested you come to the Briefing Room immediately." Sergeant Harriman said.

"Okay. Let him know that I will be right there." She replied and hung up. No doubt he wanted to run through the numbers on the report one more time before she finalized everything. Well, at least she would get a chance to stretch her legs and get some coffee. Standing, she saved everything on the computer and headed out of the office, locking the door behind her.

On her way down, she pondered where SG1 had been all day. She hadn't seen any of them since lunch the day before- which was unusual. Normally, Daniel would at least shoot her an email to see if she was up for coffee, or sometimes to check her mood before he sent up a new requisition for something. Even Jack would sometimes come and use her as an excuse to procrastinate, putting off his paperwork by distracting her from her own. For the past couple of weeks, ever since he had found out the hard way that she knew martial arts, he had been bugging her to spar with Teal'c, just so he could see who would win. She, of course, refused and had even spoken to Teal'c about the matter. Both had agreed it was much more amusing to refuse Jack than to actually spar. Besides, Teal'c was nearly 130 pounds bigger than she was. Sparring or not, she didn't relish the idea of taking a punch from him!

Grinning to herself, she exited the elevator and walked down to the Briefing Room. Upon entering, she saw General Hammond and all of SG1 sitting at the table, staring at her coldly.

"Sorry… Did I miss a memo or something?" she asked jokingly, thinking maybe she had forgotten a meeting or something.

"Have a seat, Ms. Domani," Hammond said and she frowned. He hadn't called her by her last name in a few months and hadn't looked at her like he was now since she first arrived at the SGC. Slowly, she sat down opposite him and looked at the others. Teal'c's face was hard and unreadable; Sam was looking at something in front of her, but Chris could see her jaw was set like it usually was when angry; Jack looked like he was ready to explode; and Daniel refused to meet her gaze, no matter how she willed him to look up.

"What's going on?" she asked. Hammond pulled out a stack of papers, which she now noticed all the others had in front of them, and slide it down the table to her.

"We could ask you the same thing." He said, his voice tense with fury. "Care to explain just what the hell that is?" He demanded and she pulled the papers closer to her. Flipping through slowly, she realized they were copies of her reports… only different. Normally, her reports were very basic and to the point- big on numbers and small on opinion or comments. She liked simple and this way it came across as unbiased. But these… God, these were downright slanderous. Skimming through them, she paled at some of what she saw.

_Gross negligence on the part of commander…gross misuse of funds…unapproved use of funds…notable amounts unaccounted for…suggest complete overhaul of system… personal gain from the disbursement of funds…_

_ Court-marshal suggested…a sexual relationship between Major and Commanding Officer… no doubt gathering intelligence for enemy… untrained and unsuited, no doubt for personal gain somehow… _

"Sir, I don't understand. Where did these come from?" she asked, a pit of dread growing within her stomach.

"Your computer, along with copies of the fake reports that you sent me to keep me off the trail," he growled but she shook her head. Even as she took a breath to deny it, she knew he was right. They likely _had_ been found on her computer.

"General, I know this looks bad, but I didn't write these," she said even if she knew it was in vain. At least now she knew why Kinsey had been so quiet. If she wasn't going to give him what he wanted, he would just make it up and plant them instead.

"Oh, don't give us that bullshit," Jack growled, glaring at her. "Admit it, you have been feeding Kinsey everything he wanted this whole time, stringing us along until you could suck every last drop of information from us to give to him, and then **lying** about it when you couldn't find something!" She wanted to deny it completely, but what was the point?

"Fine. You're right," she said, noticing only then Daniel looked up at her with a look of shock and crushing hurt in his eyes. "At least, in part, you are."

"In part? What the hell does that mean?" Jack demanded and she sighed.

"Yes, I have been feeding Kinsey information this whole time. But, it isn't what you think. I didn't give him anything more than the truth." She said and Jack leaned forward.

"And just what truth was that, exactly?" he asked, voice low and dangerous.

"What I observed, my opinions on what I saw around me. As my reports to General Hammond will show, it wasn't always positive- there was a lot of work to be done around here and I was always honest about that." She said but they clearly didn't believe her. "What those reports say did not come from me. I'm not working with Kinsey to take you down, honest."

"Then maybe you would care to explain your unreported meeting with him a few weeks ago," Hammond said, and turned to a monitor behind him. She paled as she watched him begin to play the video, closing her eyes as the others watched the entire conversation.

"_**I thought that was what you wanted- for me to get information on them. I can't exactly do that if I am not around them, can I?"**_

_**"Whatever. I don't give a damn what- or who- you are doing to get information. But I put you here for a reason. How much longer are you going to take to get me what I want?" he demanded but she shook her head.**_

_**"You better remember what your real job is here, Ms. Domani. Get me what I want or certain information may just slip out. And what would your precious new friends think about you then? What about your mother?" he sneered and she reluctantly looked away. With a dark chuckle, he nodded, satisfied. "Remember the plan. I look forward to your report."**_

When finished, they turned to her and she swallowed hard. No matter what she said now, she was damned.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this…" she sighed to herself, shaking her head. "I just needed a little more time…I'm so close…"

"Do you have anything to say for yourself before I have you removed from this facility?" Hammond asked coldly and she nodded. Standing she took a deep breath and faced them directly.

"For what it is worth, this is not what you think it is. I know you aren't going to believe anything I say, and if I had just a little more time, it wouldn't have mattered if you had or not. My plan- my_ real_ plan- would have been finalized and everything…" she paused and shook her head, swallowing hard. "It wouldn't have mattered because I would have been gone, anyway."

"Running back to that bastard and giving him everything he needed to take us down," Jack snarled but she shook her head sadly.

"I hope someday you realize how wrong you are right now… That someone figures out what I was trying to do here…" Taking a deep breath, she looked over at Daniel. "I know you guys don't believe me, and as much as I hate it, that doesn't matter. Just know that I did everything I could to help you all, and… I really do care ab…" She trailed off. What was the point? Anything she said now would simply be dismissed and would only hurt them further when the truth came out. "I just have one request before I go."

"You are in no position to ask for favors," Hammond growled furiously.

"I know, sir, but this is for your benefit more than mine, I assure you." She said, then looked over. "Sam, find Voldemort, and check the system for security breaches." She said quickly as Hammond nodded to the guards behind her.

"Get her out of my sight." He said and the guards took hold of Chris's arms.

"Wait! General! Please! Wait! Don't forget-" The door slammed shut, cutting her off, and everyone looked around in silence.

"Major, I want every piece of information stripped from that computer and documented. We might need it when we press charges against her and Kinsey. No one is to speak a word of this to anyone. We don't want this information to get back to Kinsey just yet. I want to surprise the SOB." Hammond said, then stormed out of the room.

AN: Do you have any questions? If you don't, then I must suck as a writer, because there should be plenty at this point.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

She walked out of the base slowly, laden down with one single box in her arms. The General had allowed her to take only a few of her most personal items, once they had been inspected, of course. Her other things would be shipped to her in a few days, once they had been checked for any sensitive material that she may have been trying to smuggle out. There had been no use in trying to talk to anyone- the halls had been cleared out and the guards had seen to it that no one came into the office while she was packing up. She had tried to hold back her tears, but the effort was in vain and they had fallen anyway as she left her "cave" for the last time.

She had known that this day was coming, that she would be leaving soon and there was little she would be able to do to stop it. Leaving like this was even worse than she had imagined, though. Of course they would be hurt and confused, even with her plan unfolding just like she had intended, but at least they would have understood and maybe not hated her so much. Maybe they would have even still cared about her after the dust had settled. But now, there was no hope left in her and she would soon be well and truly on her own, likely in a prison cell.

Navigating through the checkpoint, she walked out to the garage and to Big Daddy Smurf. The guards watched from a few feet away, still making sure she didn't come into contact with anyone. But, as she slid the box into the backseat and slammed the door shut, she turned and came face to face with Daniel. He body was visibly shaking, even with his arms wrapped tightly around himself, and the look of pain in his eyes rivaled even her own. There was nowhere to go- the SUV behind her and him in front of her, so she just stood there and waited for the inevitable explosion. But instead, his voice was soft, and cracked as he struggled to form the words he needed.

"Was it all a lie?" he asked, swallowing hard against the lump in his throat. "The friendship, the…all of it. Was it just a means to get information to pass on to Kinsey?"

"No." she answered, shaking her head. "It was all real, Daniel."

"I don't understand… How could you do it?" he pressed on and she sighed.

"I swear to you, Daniel. I didn't write those repor-"

"STOP LYING TO ME!" he cried and she flinched as if slapped. There is was- the burst of anger and hurt that she had expected. She couldn't blame him for not understanding; all she could do was try one last time to explain.

"There were things that he wanted…things that he thought I could get him… I had no choice, Daniel…I had to play along, just until I had everything I needed…"

"Everything you needed? For what? So you could do what, Chris? God, tell me! Please! Help me understand!" he begged angrily, stepping closer to her, nearly pinning her against the door to the SUV. "Give me something so I don't feel like I just had my teeth kicked in by someone that I thought was my friend! Like someone that I cared about wasn't just using me to get something that she wanted! TELL ME!"

"I… I cant…" she choked. "But, I swear to you, Daniel, I never deceived you and I never did anything to hurt you. You have to believe me. Please, of all people, _you_ have to believe me! Trust me that-"

"How dare you?" he hissed and she saw his hands clench into fists. "After everything you have done, everything I just heard in that room- coming from **your** reports and **your own mouth**\- you're going to ask me to _trust_ you!? How stupid do you think I am, Chris?!"

"I know that it all looks bad, Daniel, but-"

"That's Dr. Jackson to you," he sneered and she felt her heart turn cold.

"You're making a mistake, _Dr. Jackson._ You'll see, in time, you are making a huge mistake about me. But by the time you figure it all out, I will be long gone and it wont matter anymore. Just remember- all I asked was for just a little trust in me, and as a 'friend' you couldn't even give me the benefit of a doubt." She returned, her own anger now appearing. "I have done nothing to hurt any of you. I have spent **months** killing myself, getting you all anything and everything you desired while still saving money! That's right, I did the job that I was hired on to do! I have been there this whole time, fighting for you, helping you, _caring for you! _And YOU are the one ready to throw it all out the window instead of just trusting that there was a reason for it all. YOU are the ones that refuse to listen to me, refuse to believe in me just one tiny bit. I've said it before, I will say it one more time, and then you'll never see me again: I did not write those reports, I did not give Kinsey any information against you, and I did not use you. Have a great life, _Dr. Jackson_." And with that, she shoved him back enough to open the driver's door and get in. He watched coldly as she peeled away, her blue SUV disappearing through the light at the end of the tunnel.

"Hey, you needed me to look at something?" Daniel asked as he walked into Sam's office and the Major nodded, waving him over to her desk.

"I've been looking through Chris's computer and something isn't adding up," she replied, seeing his eyes go dark at the mention of the name. They had all taken it hard when Chris had been outed as a spy just a couple of weeks before, Daniel especially. Looking at him, she wondered if he had gotten any sleep at all since the meeting… and judging from the dark bags under his eyes and the exhaustion in his posture, she highly doubted it. Other than for meetings or coffee refills, he probably hadn't even left his office, burying himself in work to avoid thinking about what had happened.

"There is a lot that doesn't add up," he said quietly and she nodded. God, she hated that look in his eyes- the dark, sad defeat of yet another kick in his teeth from losing someone that he genuinely cared about. Maybe, with any luck, what she had found would help

"Take a look at this…" she said, pulling up a file. "This is one of the reports that Chris sent to General Hammond a few weeks ago."

"Okay…?" he nodded.

"Now, look at this one," she continued and pulled up another file, putting it next to the first one. "This is the report that she supposedly sent to Kinsey that same week. Do you see any differences?"

"You mean, other than the fact that in the second one she is saying that we are skimming money off the top of the budget for our own benefit?" he asked and she nodded. Skimming the files, he began to shake his head, frowning at the obvious lies and deceit… but then the frown changed to one of confusion. "There are errors…"

"Exactly. Daniel, I have seen Chris writing these reports, myself. She is meticulous about making sure there were no mistakes." Sam said and he nodded slowly.

"One of her degrees is in English. She was obsessive about everything being perfect." He agreed. "Then why does this one have so many errors? Chris would never submit something like that, even to Kinsey."

"That is my point. _Chris_ wouldn't submit that…" She said and he sat down beside her, realization dawning on him.

"You think she was telling the truth, that she didn't write the reports that were sent to Kinsey." He surmised, a hint of hope showing in his face. "Are there more?" he asked and she nodded.

"All of the reports, and their counterparts, are like this. Daniel, out of the roughly 40 reports that she sent to General Hammond, there were only 3 mistakes that I could find, or that the computer could find. The reports to Kinsey? Over 200."

"That cant be just a coincidence." He said.

"There is more, I think. Remember how she told me to 'find Voldemort,' before she left? Well, it took some digging- actually, a _lot_ of digging, but I found him- or rather, it. There is a folder in her computer titled 'He Who Must Not Be Named.' Whatever is in that folder must be important, because she had it buried so deep that even I almost missed it. Not only was it buried, it is password protected _and_ encrypted. It took me days just to find the thing, and I only today was able to crack the encryption. The only problem is, I cant figure out the password."

"We need to get into that folder," Daniel said and she nodded. "Knowing Chris, it could be anything."

"I want to show what we have to the General and Colonel, then maybe we can figure out the folder." She said and he quickly agreed.

An hour later, they all stood in her office and the two senior officers were looking at the differing reports.

"But the reports came directly from her computer." Jack said but Sam shook her head.

"I don't know, sir. I may have to check our security, but there is simply no way that these two reports were written by the same person," Sam replied.

"Major, while I wish as much as you do that we had been wrong about her, you heard what she said during the meeting. And, while I admit that this is unusual, it is hardly enough proof to convince me that she wasn't spying on us for Kinsey," General Hammond said.

"Actually, sir, I was reviewing the recording of that meeting there was something that Kinsey said that I think we need to consider. At one point, he says something about Chris's brother and what we or her mother would think about it. That was when Chris shut down and tried to kick him out of her office." Daniel pointed out. General Hammond nodded, vaguely recalling that part of the conversation. When he had first listened to it, he had been too worked up to really catch what was being said at that point, but now he couldn't help but wonder.

"You think she was being blackmailed," he surmised and they nodded.

"There is one more thing, sir. The comment she made about Voldemort, I managed to figure out that it is a folder that was buried in her computer. There is no way anyone would ever find it if she didn't clue them into its existence. I know there is something big in there, but it is protected by a password." Sam explained, showing them the request for a password on the computer. "Daniel and I have tried every password that we could think of, but nothing has worked."

"As she was being dragged out, she started to say something to you, General. She was cut off, but before the door closed, she said 'Don't forget.'" Daniel pointed out and the older man nodded, then closed his eyes.

"Faith," He said quietly and Sam tried the word. To their surprise, it worked.

"How did you know, sir?" Sam asked and he shook his head silently.

As the file contents began scrolling in front of them, they all saw what Chris had been hiding. It quickly became apparent why it had been hidden so well and more than one jaw dropped open.

"That must be half of Washington…" Jack muttered.

"That is a lot of money…" Daniel added. "Bribery, extortion, blackmail… My god, it goes on for years."

"And it all links back to Kinsey…" General Hammond murmured. At once, they were all hit with the same wave of guilt.

"It must have taken her months, if not years, to accumulate all of this," Sam muttered. "She was telling the truth the whole time."

"Why didn't she tell us about this when we had her in the Briefing Room?" Jack asked.

"Colonel, I want you to find Chris and find out just what the hell is going on here. If she had this much evidence against Kinsey, why did she not let us know to begin with, or at least later once she was caught." Hammond said stiffly and Jack nodded, watching him leave.

"Alright, here is a good question: Anyone know where she is?" he asked, receiving blank stares back.

AN: So? I felt like the whole "Chris being caught" thing needed a bit more emotion to it, so I added the scene with Daniel. This is all really tricky to write, so bear with me, please. R&R or at least favorite/follow, guys! I am putting a lot of work into that and I love getting even the tiniest of feedback! It feeds my muse's soul


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Are you sure she is here?" Jack asked as he stopped the rental car and Daniel nodded. It had taken a couple of days to figure out, but gambling on his hunch, they had flown out of Colorado Springs that morning, landing in Tyson-McGee Airport in Knoxville, Tennessee five hours later. With a smile, he pointed to the side of the house and there beside an attached garage was Big Daddy Smurf.

"I figured she would be here. Besides, this is where she had her belongings sent after she left," the younger man replied.

"Well, here's hoping she doesn't kick our butts the minute she sees us," Jack said and they got out of the car. The house was an old, two story country house, and judging by the yellowing paint and the cracked rails on the porch, it had seen better days. But, the well-loved flower gardens and odd assortment of decorations around the place gave it a warm, inviting feeling (one they hoped to continue to feel once Chris saw them). Walking up onto the porch, Jack knocked on the door and stepped back.

A moment later, a woman answered, and there was no doubt in either man's mind that this was Chris's mother. Still as beautiful as her daughter, only the few strands of silver and a few wrinkles around her eyes gave any indication of her age. Her eyes were a deep amber color, unlike Chris's, but just as sharp and electric.

"Can I help you?" she asked, looking at them through the screen door.

"I hope so, Ma'am. I'm Jack O'Neill, and this is Daniel Jackson. We're looking for Chris," Jack answered and she frowned, looking them over carefully.

"We're, uh, friends of hers from Colorado Springs," Daniel added and at that her eyes narrowed.

"Chris isn't here right now, I'm afraid. I'm her mother, Faye." She replied and stepped out onto the porch with them. "Friends from Colorado? Oh yes, Chris told me she had made some acquaintances out there that she had grown to really like. It seemed strange since she doesn't make a habit of making friends with anyone- never trusts people enough, you know? Not that anyone can blame her, especially when people turn their backs on her when she needs them the most. But surely _you two_ aren't _those_ friends…?" she said and they had the grace to look down in shame.

"Yes, ma'am…" they muttered in unison, feeling as if their own mother were scolding them.

"We really need to talk to her-" Daniel said.

"So we can sort everything out-" Jack added.

"Because we really care about her-"

"And we know we were… you know…"

"Wrong," they finished, once again in unison. Faye stared at them hard, and they weren't sure if she was going to laugh at them our ground them. They both prayed for the former.

"Will groveling be involved?" she asked and they both nodded emphatically.

"Lots-." Jack assured her.

"Oh, lots and lots of groveling, yes Ma'am," Daniel said quickly and Faye had to bite the inside of her cheek to stifle her grin. So this was the man that Chris had told her so much about. Mentally, she noted that he seemed polite, well spoken, and was considerably attractive- and applauded her daughter on her good taste. 30 or so years ago, she would have swooned for those big blue puppy-dog eyes. The other one- Jack, the Colonel, as Chris had told her- seemed polite as well, and though she knew less about him, she knew Chris respected him greatly. Still, these two had hurt her baby and she wasn't going to let them get off that easily.

"You really hurt her, do you know that? I haven't seen her happy like she has been for the past few months since she was a little girl… before she was forced to grow up and learn about the real world… Chris has always kept to herself, never wanted to make friends much, even as a kid. I used to worry a lot about her- still do, if I am honest- but then she went to Colorado and she started telling me all about these people she had met- really good people that she really cared about, and she really wanted to help them. She told me plenty about all of you, though some perhaps more than others," she said, eyeing Daniel who blushed and looked down. "For the first time, I thought that maybe- just maybe- this was where she would stay and build a life. It isn't healthy for someone to never make human connections. She was so happy…Then, about a week ago, she showed up here, completely shut down and withdrawn, just like when her father died. It took me days to get her to finally open up, and even then she didn't tell me much; but I understood enough. Mothers always understand more than their children think. They understand the heartbreak of being betrayed by those people she considered friends, of being hurt by someone that she had finally- _finally- _put some trust into. And as much as it hurts her, it hurts me, too, because there is nothing I can do to stop it." She paused, letting that sink in, and they prayed for the earth to open up and swallow them whole. "Now, I don't know exactly what went down out there- and frankly I don't care. But, either you put my little girl back together or you leave and never show your face around her again. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Ma'am," they said quietly.

"We care about her, too, Mrs. Domani. That's why we are here, to smooth everything over and, hopefully, everyone will be happy again." Daniel replied softly and she nodded, her demeanor shifting.

"Good. Now, have you two eaten anything other than lousy airline food?" she asked, a warm smile suddenly on her face, and they shook their heads.

"Um…"

"No…"

"Then come on in and let me get you something. I swear, with the way Chris looked when she got here, you'd think you were starving her out there! Come on, I'll get you something while you come up with what had better be one hell of an apology," she said and , turning on her heel, walked inside.

"She is almost scarier than the Goa'uld," Jack whispered.

"Are you kidding? She could give them lessons!" Daniel hissed back and they followed her into the house.

"Mom, you better call Cotton and tell him to keep his boys off the North 40! They've been up there muddin' again!" Chris called as she walked into the house through the back door half an hour later. Kicking off her dirt-covered boots, she headed for the living room. "They've torn up at least half an ac-." She froze as she saw the two men sitting by the fire, cups of coffee in their hands, and her mother grinning from ear to ear.

"Hey, sweetie. Jack and Daniel and I were just talking about you," Faye said and Chris paled.

"Y-you were?" she managed to get out.

"Oh yes, they were telling me all about what you do up there at your little ski resort," her mother replied and Chris swallowed hard. She had been careful to be vague about her sudden, unannounced appearance back home. She had told her mother that there had been a misunderstanding regarding a guest at the resort and they had fired her, and not much else.

Faye wasn't stupid and had known her daughter was lying- she had been married to a military man that had to keep secrets during their entire marriage, and he was just as terrible at cover stories as his daughter had turned out to be. But, she knew better than to ask questions and put Chris on the spot.

"Oh… they were?" Chris muttered, still staring at the two. How had they even found her? Stupid question- they worked for the SGC. Even then, with Jack's black ops and connections, it was ridiculous to thin she could have hidden from them for long.

"Why don't I go make some more coffee?" Faye said and the three nodded as she left the room.

"Come outside," Chris said quietly and the men followed her out the back door to where the garage was. They saw a few ATVs, an old, beat up Chevy truck, and various farming equipment out there which she led them past until they were behind the building, well out of earshot of the house. Rounding on them, she glared angrily. "What the hell are you two doing here? What, did you forget to spit on me or something? Or are you here to arrest me in front of my mother just to humiliate me that much more?" she demanded and they took a step back at her intensity. Like mother like daughter…

"We came here to apologize, kid," Jack said quietly and Chris turned to him.

"Oh, it's 'kid' again, is it? I'm guessing you found the folder on the computer?" she said and they nodded.

"Yes. Chris, we are so sorry we didn't believe you. Sam figured out that the reports were written by someone else and then she found the file." Daniel said and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"So, what? You came here to let me know that I was telling the truth the whole time? I'm pretty sure that I already clued you into that back when you kicked me out of the mountain." She growled.

"You're right, we screwed up by not believing you, but you haven't exactly been totally honest with us, either." Jack pointed out. "Why didn't you tell us about the file in the first place? What is it that Kinsey is blackmailing you with, aside from what is on that file?"

"Whatever it is, we can help you, Chris. You just have to trust us enough," Daniel added and she shot a glare at him. She wanted to spat a sarcastic quip about how trust was a two way street, and they had already crashed spectacularly in that department. But, she was tired, and- even if it was only subconscious at that point- she missed her friends. Shaking her head, she leaned back against the building and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You cant say anything, not yet. I have to tell my mom before anyone finds out and Im, you know, taken away." She said. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at them. "You know from the meeting with Kinsey that I had a brother? His name is Jon. He, uh, wasn't well." Frowning, she shook her head. "No, that's misleading. Jon was an addict- pills, mostly, but he would make do with whatever he could get when he couldnt get pills. Long story short, he got into some trouble back about 8 years ago, just after I had started my first job with the government. Before that, Kinsey had approached me a few times, wanting sensitive information on people, but he didn't have the clearance back then and I refused to give it to him.

Jon called me one night, completely strung out. I thought he was going to… well, it wouldn't have been the first time he had called like that, you know? So, I drove all night and found him in an alley, a dead man beside him. It took a while, but he finally showed me the body- a mugging gone wrong, I guess. I didn't know what to do. I was 21 years old and stupid and I was… I had to help him. So, we hid the body behind a dumpster, close to the police station so it would be found, but of course by then we would be long gone. Somehow, they figured it out and caught us. Jon went up for second degree murder, and they hit me with accessory and obstruction… I didn't know what else to do. I made the second stupidest mistake of my life: I called Kinsey. I promised him the information he wanted if he would just fix it so the charges went away."

"Deal with the devil…" Jack muttered and she nodded sullenly.

"I had no idea what I had done, what kind of hell I had just created for myself. Jail would have been a breeze compared to the past 8 years. But, I couldn't let Jon go to prison- there is no way he would have survived. And my mother… She had just lost her husband; what would it have done to her to lose not just one, but both of her children to prison on top of it all? Besides, the information Kinsey asked for seemed benign enough. So, I got it for him and the charges went away, just like he said. I started moving up, into different positions within different companies and bases. Every single one of them had someone Kinsey wanted information on. I tried to deny him, told him we were even because we had both gotten what we wanted, but he reminded me that he now had the stuff on Jon, plus proof that I had broken the nondisclosure agreements I had signed when I gave him the info. The more I gave him to keep him quiet, the more he had on me. So, I started keeping stuff that I found- evidence against him that linked him to dozens of people in incredibly high positions. I couldn't use it against him, of course, because he still had his eye on Jon and had the evidence against me, but it was there, just in case. Then… well, I got to the SGC. I used the security clearance- much higher than anything I had ever had- to gather more information than ever. I was just waiting a little longer, stringing him along until after the budget committee had approved the new funding for the base, and then I was going to give it to General Hammond."

"Wait, I don't understand. If you had been sitting on all of this information for 8 years, what suddenly changed?" Jack asked and Chris swallowed hard.

"Kinsey's leverage." She answered and they both frowned, confused. Seeing her fighting back tears, Daniel was the first to realize what she was meant.

"Jon…" he said quietly and she nodded.

"He was found just a couple of weeks before I came to the SGC. I kept it quiet, going so far as to not letting his obituary be posted. Only Mom and I attended the funeral. I figured out that Kinsey didnt know about Jon when he came to me with the SGC position, and I knew it was time. With Jon gone, no one would suffer other than me when it all came out.. So, I started building the file even more, stuffing every bit of evidence I could in there with every name that I could link to Kinsey. I thought maybe there was possibility of turning the tables against him. If he tried to hurt me, I could hurt him tenfold back, you know? Then you guys found the reports that had been planted… I figured I would be brought up on charges then and there, but when General Hammond let me leave, I knew I only had a small window of time to get back here and explain everything to my mom before I was carted off to prison for what would probably be life. It would be easier coming from me than her finding out from someone else…"

"Chris, for what it is worth, we are sorry." Jack said quietly, absorbing her story. "We didn't know about any of it."

"That was kinda the idea…" she muttered with a sad grin. "Just, do me a favor. Before you make any calls and have me hauled off, let me talk to my mom. I want to be the one to tell her why I'm going to-"

"Chris we aren't taking you to jail," Daniel said, cutting her off and moving closer to her, but she countered his movement by stepping away. "Tell her, Jack."

"Daniel… It may not be that easy," he sighed and the passionate archaeologist rounded on him, fire in his eyes. "What she did for so long, they may not be able to just ignore that. Besides, if we want to take Kinsey down, we will have to have Chris testify-"

"Don't you dare tell me you cant do something, Jack! Chris has given us everything we need to get rid of Kinsey for good, not to mention what she has done for the SGC and _us_!" he shouted and Jack looked down.

"Trust me, I don't want anything to happen to you, kid. And we are going to do everything we can to help you out of this. But, to be honest, I just don't know how it is all going to play out. I promise, whatever strings I can pull, I will, though." He said and Chris nodded mutely. "I need to call and talk to Hammond. Don't say anything to your mom, yet, and don't worry- nothing will happen as long as we are here."

"Thank you," she replied and he walked away, pulling out his phone from his pocket, and leaving the other two alone…

AN: So, did that answer your questions? If not, please ask me in your review and I will do my best to address it. I must say, I don't do many twists and such in my stories, so if I missed something, just let me know. I had to break this chapter up into more pieces, so Daniel and Chris are going to talk in the next chapter. There is a lot of H/C coming up, and I swear we will get to the goo and smut eventually. PLEASE! R & R, GUYS! I really would love to hear from you. Also- to those that are reviewing for me- I LOVE YOU GUYS! YOU ARE KEEPING THIS STORY GOING!


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Once alone, Daniel looked at Chris and knew he had to say something.

"Chris, what I said in the garage…" He trailed off, shaking his head. Stepping towards her, he needed to touch her, needed to feel that strange connection that he been pulling at him since this whole mess started. But, she backed away from him, her arms wrapping around herself in a protective self-hug. "I'm sorry, honey. I should have believed you, should have known that something was going on and fought for you. I guess I was just in shock from seeing the reports and then what you said to Kinsey-"

"It doesn't matter now, Daniel," she said quietly, unable to look at him. "What happened, happened, and it's done. We… we were friends, I suppose, for a while, but… That's over now."

"Not for me. Chris, I still care about you and I don't want this to be the end," he said, desperate to not lose her.

"Maybe you should have thought of that before, _Dr. Jackson._" She growled, then shook her head. "I…I can't do this right now. I'm going inside…" And with that, she shoved past him and escaped into the house.

She found her mother in the kitchen and before she could even ask, Faye handed her a cup of coffee and eyed the table pointedly. There was no question as to the silent order, Chris had been sat at that table more times than she cared to remember, and she sat down immediately.

"Alright, sweetie. Spill it." Fay said and her daughter sighed, fidgeting with her mug of coffee. "Look, I know whatever you do over there in Colorado has nothing to do with skiing, and I'm gonna guess it isn't exactly a resort either. I'm also going to guess that you cant tell me about it." She said and Chris nodded slowly, looking down. "That's fine. Your father taught me how to not pry when it came to the government. But I think I deserve to know the real reason you showed up here a few days ago without so much as a phone call, and now you have not one but two men here, clearly trying to drag you back. What is going on?" For a long time, Chris just sat there, staring at her mug. Jack had said not to say anything yet, but she couldn't lie to her mother- not really.

So, she gave her the highlights as much as she could without breaking her nondisclosure agreement. Throughout the story, Faye sat and listened without expression or comment, absorbing the words her daughter was telling her. Chris was thankful for her silence, but it also made her nervous. She had been never been one for trouble as a kid- keeping to herself and getting good grades, not to mention passing high school and college much faster than average had kept her nose clean. But now, as her mother stared passively at her, she felt like shrinking into the ground and never coming back up.

"So, Jack and Daniel as going to help you," Faye said once Chris was finished with her tale.

"I guess they are going to try, but I don't know if it will be enough." She replied quietly."I really screwed up here, Mom…"

"Yes, you did. And you have never been one for doing anything halfway… But it is all going to work out, Chris." Faye nodded firmly but Chris shook her head.

"You can't know that. Mom, I could go away for a long, long time for this." Chris said, then hung her head in remorse. "I'm sorry…"

"Darling, you made a bad decision… okay, a few of them… but your heart was in the right place- and for that I can't be angry with you. You were trying to protect your family, just like you always have. I would rather you make the wrong choice with the best of intentions over the right decision with a cold heart any day. And if that has consequences, at least you can hold your head up high at the end of the day."

"I guess the best I can hope for now is that Jack and Daniel can do something." Chris sighed, nonplussed to have to rely on them for anything after all that had happened.

"They care about you a lot. I could see it in their eyes before you got here… especially Daniel," Faye said and Chris nodded, blushing. "I know it is hard for you, sweetie, but don't hold grudges, okay? Friendships- or whatever it is that you have with them- are hard to come by and even harder to maintain. I think they are going to do whatever they can for you, and for that you should be thankful."

"I know… you're right… I'm just worried that it won't be enough." Chris said and Faye smiled.

"Then we will smuggle you out to Canada… of the Bahamas…"

"Ireland," Chris muttered, a tiny grin appearing on her face. It was an old game between them, designed to distract her from whatever the problem was, and she latched onto it now more than ever.

"China," Faye said.

"No. Sicily," Chris said and her mother laughed.

"You always say Sicily!" Faye laughed and hugged her daughter tightly. "Don't worry, sweetheart. No matter what, I still love you, and never forget: This too shall pass." She said, repeating a phrase that they had relied on for so long.

"Thanks, Mom," Chris sighed and hugged her mother back even tighter.

The moment ended as Jack walked in, ending the call on his phone. Behind him, Daniel followed, arms crossed over his chest and unable to look up from the floor. Turning, Chris looked at them warily.

"Hammond is going to make some calls with a certain red phone," Jack said and Chris nodded, understanding what phone he was referring to. "It may take a couple of days, though, so I guess we will need somewhere to stay. Faye, can you point us in the direction of the nearest motel?"

"Of course! It is right upstairs," Faye replied and they frowned in confusion. "There is plenty of room here for you both. Jack, you can take Jon's old room, and Daniel can have the one beside Chris's- the guest room. It has a bunch of sewing stuff and odds and ends, but it should be okay for a night or two."

"We don't want to impose, Ma'am," Jack said but she quickly shushed him.

"Please, you're welcome here. I don't get company as often as I would like, so it will be nice having some voices around here for a while. Chris doesn't mind, do you, honey?" Faye said and, stuck between giving in or being scolded for being rude, Chris shook her head. "Good. Why don't you boys go get your things and put them away, Chris will show you the rooms, and then I will begin dinner."

"Yes, Ma'am," the three said in unison and got to work.

That evening, Daniel found Chris sitting outside on the porch swing. They had just finished dinner and he handed her a cup of coffee as if it were a peace offering, which she accepted.

"Care if I join you?" he asked and she scooted over, giving him room beside her. The swing wasn't very large, so it was a bit of a squeeze, but neither seemed to mind the close contact. They hadn't said much to each other over dinner, instead making small talk with Faye, who had enjoyed doing her level best to embarrass Chris with stories from the young woman's childhood. Chris had groaned quietly, red-faced, as Faye had told them about throwing up on her fifth-grade teacher (they never liked him anyway), or the time when Chris had flown out to visit her grandparents in Florida and tried to convince the pilot to turn around because she had forgotten her stuffed bear. Chris had simply sighed theatrically, humoring her mother while the men laughed loudly and asked for more. Even though the tension was still there about Chris's future, it was a relaxing evening that everyone enjoyed.

"How many pieces has Jack eaten?" Chris asked and Daniel grinned.

"Two apples and two cherries. We man never get him back to Colorado," he said and Chris laughed. "Your mom is great, Chris. I can see where you get a lot of your personality from."

"Yeah, she taught me a lot. Daddy did, too, of course." Chris replied. "He was a bit calmer but funny. He had a great sense of humor. He had this knack of not saying anything during a conversation, but when he did finally speak up, it was the *perfect* thing that would leave everyone laughing for days."

"I wish I could have met him," Daniel said and she nodded.

"Me, too. He would have liked you," she said, then grinned. "He would have kicked your ass at chess, too. He taught me when I was just 6 years old- never let me win, either. One time, just before he got sick, I managed to beat him, though. Just once, but it was a sweet victory. As soon as he realized I had won, he reset the board and beat me three times in a row, just to boost his ego back up."

"Sounds like he taught you a lot, too." He chuckled, knowing how she was about not losing to anyone, and she nodded.

"He did. Well, I need to get to bed. I have to get up early tomorrow." She said and stood. He thought she was going to walk inside without another word, but when she reached the door, she turned and sighed. "Goodnight, Daniel."

"Goodnight, Chris." He murmured and she disappeared inside.

* * *

The next morning, she yawned deeply and walked into the mudroom to pull her boots on. She hadn't gotten any sleep the night before, but she had taken on the chores on the farm since her arrival and she had to get to them. Picking up her thermos of coffee, she started out the door.

"Mind if I join you?" Daniel asked, walking into the room, and she turned. There was no doubt that thoughts of Daniel had been a lion's share of her insomnia troubles, torn between her ager towards him and that weird connection they had between them, pulling her to forgive him and make up. Shaking her head, she sighed.

"I have work to do." She muttered.

"I know. I just wanna pull my own weight around here, considering your mom is providing room and board," he replied and she rolled her eyes.

"Nobody says 'room and board' anymore, Daniel." She replied, but he looked so hopeful that she caved. Tossing him a pair of gloves, she waved him out the door and towards the garage. "We'll take the 4-wheelers."

"Um, I've never driven a 4-wheeler before." He replied and she grinned wickedly. Moving to the biggest of the machines, she climbed on and scooted forward.

"Hop on," she said and he moved to sit behind her. He wasn't sure where to put his hands, so she reached back and pulled them around her waist. "You might wanna hold on for this." With a rev of the engine, she peeled out of the garage and Daniel frantically grabbed onto he tighter to keep from falling off. She headed straight up the massive hill in front of them at a pace that Daniel was positive was too fast for safety. He sighed in relief as, about halfway up, she stopped in front of a gate. A barn was situated beside them, a large paddock spread out before it, and he followed her inside the barn. Grabbing a couple of buckets, she went to fill them with feed, then pointed to a hay bale nearby. "Grab that, would you? Spread it out over there near the door."

Once finished with the buckets, she helped him break the hay into smaller chunks, then walked out into the paddock. He could see another double gate at the far end, wide open to allow the horses to move from the paddock to the large field beyond. With an ear-splitting holler, Chris grinned and look over her should at him.

"You might want to stand back a little," she said and he frowned.

"Chris, I've been around horses before. I can even…" The words stopped on his lips as he felt the ground start to shake beneath him. A moment later, the two biggest horses he had ever seen came thundering into the paddock. With a yelp, he jumped back into the barn, moving behind the door for safety. He tried to cry out a warning to Chris, she was in the direct path of the two behemoths, but to his shock, they stopped within a few feet of her.

"Daniel, meet Marco and Polo," she said with pride and kissed the horses on the noses before setting the feed buckets down in front of them. They began eating with gusto and she headed back over to where Daniel was just stepping back out of the barn. "Beautiful, aren't they? The Belgians."

"Chris, those aren't horses. They are T-rexes!" he gulped and she laughed.

"Marco is about 19 hands high, and Polo- his son- is about 18." She replied, staring at the two. Both were a light brown color, their manes and tails the color of wheat. While enormous, and certainly intimidating, Daniel had to agree that they were very beautiful. "I've missed them. They're my baby boys. I got Marco when I was about 8 years old and Polo came along three years later."

"Can you ride them? I mean, as big as they are?" he asked and she nodded.

"Oh, sure. Polo can be a little temperamental with anyone other than me, but Marco is a big teddy bear. They may seem wild when they are hungry, but when I'm on them, they are very careful and sweet." She explained. "You want to pet them?"

"Um, if you promise they won't eat me…" he muttered and she laughed, pulling him over to the horses. Reaching out, he ran his hand along Marco's side, feeling the silky hide over the strong, and powerful muscles below. Raising his head, the horse looked at Daniel appraisingly, then with a snort, lowering his head back down to the bucket again. With a grin, he looked over to see Chris fighting to stand up. Marco had an itch on his face and was using Chris as a scratching post. The horse's head was nearly as big as she was and she had to hang onto a nearby post just to stay upright, but her giggles told him that she loved every second of it.

A few minutes later, they walked away and left the horses to their breakfasts. Daniel had been given the seal of approval by both horses, signified by snuffles and slight nibbles to his hand that left it intact, if not a bit slimy.

"What's next? You gonna show me the 20-foot goldfish in a pond somewhere?" he asked as they climbed back onto the 4-wheeler, and she laughed.

"Don't be silly…" she replied and turned on the engine. "He's only about 15 feet long, now." He vaguely wondered if that was true or not, but his pondering was cut off as she took off up the hill again and he had to grab onto her to keep from flying off the back.

Mercifully, Chris slowed the machine as they continued up the mountain, taking her time to point out various spots as they wound their way up. He was shown a tree, littered with pieces of a amateur treehouse around it; a pond with dozens of flowers surrounding it, all planted by Chris when she was just a girl; a field called "Saddle Field" and a small hill to their right that jutted up, named "Bailey's Knob." Chris explained that she would need to ride up along the outer perimeter at the top to check the fence and the North 40, which was simply a name for the northern 40 acres. She had found remnants of someone tearing up the land, likely with either 4-wheelers or motorcycles, and she needed to find out where they were getting in. But, instead of going that direction, she continued to the right and on up. They rode higher and higher, weaving between trees until the land finally leveled out and opened up into a clearing. There, on top of the mountain, was a large, empty field, and she drove to the middle before stopping.

"Wow…" he breathed, looking at the scenery. Before them, wide open and still a little misty from the morning fog, were round, lumbering mountains as far as the eyes could see. He could see that they were actually part of two ranges, with a valley and lake between. There was no doubt why this part of the US was called the "Smoky Mountains." The thick fog laid like a blanket throughout, only adding to the beauty. "This is incredible…" he said, voice quiet in reverence and she nodded.

"This right here is my favorite spot in the world." She replied. "I used to spend entire days up here, just laying in this field and daydreaming. Jon and I would come up here during the winter and sled down- at least until he got older and …" Trailing off, she swallowed hard. "I miss him." Taking a chance, Daniel gently wrapped his arms around her waist and she gave into the embrace, leaning back against his chest as she gazed out at the mountains in front of them.

"Will you tell me about him?" he asked and she sighed heavily, her eyes seeing far more than just the mountains.

"I loved him…even at his absolute worst, I still loved him so much. Even when he was stoned at our father's funeral, or passed out on the sofa in the living room, I couldn't help it. Of course, I wanted to kill him myself sometimes, but… I tried…I tried to get him clean. I dragged him off to rehabs, sat with him when he would go cold turkey, and then take him to the hospital when the withdrawals got to be too much. He OD'd twice when he was with me, and… after the second one, I kicked him out. That was right before I got the job at the Pentagon and I was worried he would do it again here at home, with Mom. I thought maybe if I kicked him out and let him live on the street for a while, he would hit rock bottom and want to get better. It was only a month later that he called me and… well, you know the rest." She said and he nodded. Changing gears, she sighed again. "He was so smart, Daniel, way smarter than me. He breezed through school faster than I could have dreamed- was in college classes by 14, on track to graduate with a doctorate by 20… But then Dad got sick and Jon fell in with the wrong crowd, started spiraling… I would find him asleep outside on the porch or he would call, too stoned to get home, and I would go get him. I hid it all from my parents- they had enough on their plate and didn't need to be dealing with that. Besides, I thought it was just a phase and that he would snap out of it on his own once Dad got better…" She stopped, tears trailing down her face, unnoticed, and Daniel held her a little tighter. "I couldn't help him… couldn't help my own brother… All the degrees, all the stuff that I could do with entire bases and companies, with people and their lives, and I couldn't fix him…" Her voice broke with a sob and Daniel held her against his chest tightly. He wondered if she had ever really done this- allowed herself to cry for her loss of her big brother that she had loved so much and his heart broke right along with hers.

"You did everything you could, honey. What happened was not your fault. Addicts.. they have to save themselves and want to be better. You did so much for him, more than anyone else would have, and.. god, you were only a kid, dealing with your father dying and Jon and you were all alone…"

"I tried… I tried so hard…" she sobbed. Carefully, he turned her to face him and she buried herself against his chest, crying into his shoulder hard. Everything else that was going on, all the anger and hurt from the past few weeks, was forgotten for the moment and Daniel just held her, letting her feel his warmth.

"I know, baby…" he whispered into her hair, ricking her gently. There was nothing else he could say, and she no doubt needed this release, so he just held her and let her cry herself out.

They stayed that way for a long time, even after she had calmed. So much had transpired between them just in the past day, and the past few weeks, that they both needed to just feel the connection between them and let it heal their hearts. As they sat there, he sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and felt her tense, but thankfully she didn't pull away. "I am so sorry for not believing you, for not fighting for you when you needed me the most. Friends… friends don't do that to one another and I should have been there for you…"

"Friends…" she breathed sadly and moved to sit up, but he stopped her. Looking up at him, her eyes met his and the moment was suddenly charged with palpable electricity. Heart pounding, Daniel slowly lowered his head down and brushed his lips against hers, holding them there. For a moment, she didn't respond, and he panicked at the thought that he had made a huge mistake. But then, tentatively, she pressed back and the strange warmth filled them both, leaving them weak. The kiss was slow and chaste, hearts too bruised and too scared to go further just yet, but as they reluctantly parted, they both smiled.

"That was nice…" he murmured and she nodded, a sigh escaping her as he rested his forehead against hers for a long moment. But, as much as she hated to let end it, she sat up out of his arms.

"We need to get back to the house. Maybe Jack has heard back from Hammond by now…" she said and he nodded. Turning around, she started the engine and he put his hands on her sides. To his surprise, and relief, she pulled his arms further around her and he held her all the way down the mountain to the house.

* * *

AN: So, I suppose it was just exposition and some H/C, but what did you think? R&R for me, guys! Thank you to those that are reviewing- you're awesome and the reason I am still writing this!


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

They had barely climbed off the 4-wheeler before Jack had walked out to them, catching them in the garage. His face was expressionless, giving nothing away, and Chris paled.

"Hammond called," she guessed and he nodded.

"It's good news, but I'm afraid you aren't going to like it," he said and she felt Daniel put his hand on her shoulder in silent support. "As far as anyone is concerned, you are completely in the clear, kid. No charges, no inquiries, nothing- it has all been wiped clean."

"That's good… so what is the problem?" Daniel asked, confused, but it was Chris that answered.

"Kinsey is getting away with it, too." She said and Jack nodded sagely.

"The President said there were just too many people in that report for it to come out. It is going to be destroyed and all mention of it will be wiped." He said and her teeth gritted together in anger. "It was the only way, Chris. If what was in that report had ever come out, half the government would have been involved, and with you testifying to it all, you would have gone down with them."

"I am willing to-"

"But the President isn't." He cut her off and she growled in frustration. "Look, kid, I can't lie- I'm surprised that it ended this way."

"All that work, all the shit that I have gone through over the years, all for nothing!" she ranted, pacing as far as the confines of the garage would allow. "It's bullshit! He gets away with everything and-"

"And so do you!" Jack pointed out harshly and she stopped, looking over at him darkly.

"Chris, honey, I know it sucks that Kinsey isn't going away to prison for life, but look at it this way: you are finally free of him," Daniel said and she deflated slightly. "No more having to give him information, no more moving around to avoid getting caught, no more lying and hiding. You are finally free of it all, and I think that is reason enough to celebrate."

"I agree with Daniel, look at the bright side," Jack said, then smiled. "Oh, and there is more- icing for the cake, if you will. Hammond said that he still wants you at the SGC, doing what you do best. So, he is offering you your position back, but this time you will report directly to him and the Budget Committee."

"That's great, Jack! Isn't that gr…" Daniel's enthusiasm faded fast when he saw Chris's frown. "Chris? What's wrong?"

"I… I don't know if I want to come back," she said quietly.

"Oh for cryin out loud! Why not?!" Jack cried and she sighed.

"It's like you said- I'm free. I mean, I wasn't sure if I was going to jail or not, but I never thought I would be able to go back to the SGC." She explained and the Colonel groaned. "I can go anywhere that I want now; do whatever I want with my life without having to answer to anyone."

"Chris, please… You belong at the SGC, with us- your friends,"

"You're family," Jack clarified and Daniel nodded and she looked down.

"You have to come back with us." Daniel finished.

"I need to think about it, guys. Just give me a little time, okay?" she asked and turned, walking inside.

* * *

"So, what are we looking for?" Jack asked over the sound of the 4- wheelers. They were up on Bailey's Knob, checking for any breaks in the fence. Chris has agreed to let them come along, if for no other reason than she would need help if she did find a hole in the fence, but it was with the agreement that there would be no discussion about her going back to the SGC.

"Any breaks in the fencing, tire tracks, basically any signs of where they may be getting in," she replied. It wasn't that she cared that much about the land- nobody ever really came up here anyway, but breaks in the fence were dangerous for the horses- they could get out and loose. She had already called Cotton, the neighbor down the road that frequently came to help Faye around the house. His boys, Asa and Kelly, were notorious for going onto other people's farms and "muddin'"- driving through big mud holes in anything that they could, just to throw mud around. As dumb as it sounded, there wasn't much else to do around there…

They drove slowly, Chris against the fence line (with Daniel on the back of her 4-wheeler again) and Jack ahead of them. Sure enough, they soon were able to make out tire tracks at one section of the fence. Upon closer inspection, she could see that the wires had been cut and refastened haphazardly, creating a makeshift gate that they could easily get through. Stopping the vehicle, she jumped off and grabbed her tools.

"Need help?" Jack asked but she shook her head.

"Not yet, but I may in a minute. They actually did a pretty decent job of putting it back together, but Marco is sneaky and would figure this out in a heartbeat." She replied, grinning at the memory from just a few minutes ago when Jack had come upon Marco and Polo along the trail. Even over the roar of two engines, they had heard his scream and laughed as he had sped off, Polo chasing him in play. They found him hiding behind a clump of trees, 4-wheeler forgotten and Polo having lost interest. He tried to swear them to secrecy, but his threats were in vain.

The two men looked around, enjoying the feeling of being out in the woods without the possibility of being shot at by Jaffa or crazed locals. When she finished, they helped her replace the post into the hole and fill it with some cement so that it would be more stable. Finally, she hung a sign on the fence- created by hand with some old planks and paint. "STAY OUT BOYS!" It wasn't Chris's first rodeo, so to speak, and she knew the boys would respect her sign.

After they were finished, they returned to the house and all quickly showered and changed. Faye had made a sizeable lunch for them before heading out to run some errands and they three laid around in the living room lazily. Chris broke out her dad's chessboard so she and Jack could play, while Daniel pilfered through the bookshelf and found an old book on the Civil War to read. It made for a relaxing afternoon and none of them were willing to ruin it just yet by beginning up Chris's choice on Hammond's offer.

Jack had bought tickets to fly back for the next afternoon and had spoken to Hammond again. The General was far from happy about Chris's reluctance, though he could understand why- after the way she had been treated, no one could blame her for not jumping at the chance to go back. Still, he had quietly ordered Jack to do whatever he had to do to get her back, an order Jack fully planned on following.

* * *

After yet another amazing dinner, Daniel found Chris outside on the front porch swing once again. This time, he didn't have to ask before she moved over enough for him to sit down, and he automatically put his arm around her shoulders.

"No pressure, but have you made a decision, yet?" he asked and she sighed heavily.

"No, not yet." She replied quietly.

"Loo, I know this must be hard after everything that happened, but…I think you should take the offer and move back." He said and she glanced over at him.

"Would that be for professional or personal reasons?" she asked and he couldn't help but grin.

"Well, it would be good for both reasons, I think." He replied. "I know I shouldn't try to make you decide based on 'us,' but… I keep thinking back on this morning and…. Well, I would really like to do that some more."

"It was kinda nice…" she murmured and he nudged her teasingly.

"Kinda nice?" he chuckled and she grinned, blushing slightly.

"Okay, it was very nice." She amended. "But… Daniel, I can't make a decision just based on one kiss. There is a lot to consider and… I need some time, okay?"

"Okay…" he sighed, nodding, then grinned at her. "I could kiss you again, if that would help."

"Daniel!" she laughed and he hugged her tightly to his side.

* * *

The next afternoon, Jack and Daniel packed their bags and headed out to the rental car. According to Faye, Chris had taken off early that morning and not returned. As much as they wanted to wait on her, they had a flight to catch. So, with hugs and thanks to Faye, they left.

"Hammond is going to kick our asses for not bringing her back with us," Jack said and Daniel sighed, not really caring about Hammond's displeasure. He had hoped to talk to her one more time, convince her to come with them, or at least try to. But, Faye had quietly told him that Chris had never been one for goodbyes- maybe she had said them one too many times in the past- and to not take it too personally that she had disappeared. He tried, he really did, but after the events of the previous morning, it was hard to not be hurt.

"It's her decision to make, Jack. If she doesn't want to be there, then we can't force her to," he muttered and the car fell silent as they drove to the airport.

* * *

AN: Okay, a bit shorter than the last one, but I wanted to go ahead and wrap up the time in Tennessee. What did you guys think of the kiss from before? Are we ready for a little lovin' finally? If you want something, just ask! Otherwise, this will just continue on the way I plan without any regard for what you guys really want!


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The flight back to Colorado was made in relative silence, Jack playing on his Gameboy while Daniel pretended to read a book. Truth be told, his mind was on anything but the pages in front of him- stuck back in Tennessee and who he had left there. He knew he was right when he had told Jack that she had to make her own decision, but it didn't make it any easier. If only he had been able to talk to her before they had left, maybe he could have gotten through to her…

Upon arriving at the SGC, they made their way to Sam's office (Hammond was in a meeting) and told both her and Teal'c about the trip and what had happened. Both of the other members of the team were saddened to hear that Chris hadn't returned and all agreed that maybe they could still convince her to return via emails and phone calls. It had been a long trip, with little to show for their efforts, and Jack and Daniel decided to just crash on the base for the night. As they headed to the on-base quarters, they passed someone in the hall.

"Room 6 is already claimed," she said and they nodded… then stopped.

"Chris!?" Daniel yelped and she turned, grinning. "What are- but how-?" he stammered.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jack demanded. "We thought you were still in Tennessee!"

"I left this morning before you guys were up and caught an earlier flight. I needed to talk to General Hammond before I decided anything, get some negotiations out of the way; so I snuck back onto the base and just got out of a meeting with him and the President," she explained. "You are looking at the permanent Financial Advisor of the SGC."

"That's great!" Daniel laughed and scooped her up into a hug, making her giggle. As he put her down, Jack hugged her, too, and she beamed back at them.

"Congratulations, kid." He said with a grin. "What made you decide to come back? You were so unsure before."

"Let's just say that Hammond made me an offer I couldn't refuse…"

* * *

"Wow! This place is looking great, Chris!" Daniel said a few days later as he walked into Chris's new office- conveniently just down the hall from his own office. It was bigger, by far, and had been outfitted specially for her by Sam- per Hammond. The walls had been made soundproof to allow her to continue listening to her insanely loud music, with a Bose stereo inside and a volume control on the outside. This way, anyone that wanted to enter could turn the sound down before they opened the door and deafened themselves. She was decorating it in a similar fashion to her old office- with calming colors and a new sofa, along with two new chairs and even a small table to hold meetings at.

"Thanks. It's a work in progress, but it's coming along." She replied, walking over to him. "It would be easier if I hadn't taken such a huge pay cut, but I can't complain too much." Looking at him in his uniform, she was torn between being worried- uniform meant a mission off-world and she couldn't help but worry anytime they all left. It was their job, she knew, but it didn't make it any easier, especially when they had such a knack for getting into trouble. On the other hand- Damn! That man sure looked good in a uniform!

She had heard the klaxons earlier and was unsurprised that they were leaving without much notice. Ska'ra had been found on Tollana and needed Daniel to help save him from the Goa'uld within him. There was no missing the worry in his eyes and she moved into his arms, offering her support. Old memories and pain were being dragged up and he needed their connection to bolster him, even if only for a moment. They were taking everything slowly, hadn't even really said much about this new relationship, yet, but they had indulged in a few kisses here and there. Each time was more passionate, more breathtaking, and she knew they were heading towards the next level. But, those thoughts were pushed aside as he reluctantly stepped back from her.

"Be careful," she said and he nodded, giving her a smile.

"I always try to be careful," he replied but she rolled her eyes.

"Try harder," she instructed and he laughed quietly. Leaning over, he kissed her softly and she pulled him to her, deepening the contact briefly. When they parted, he groaned, then shook his head. He had to go, the others were waiting on him…

"See you soon," he said and, with that, he left.

* * *

After their mission to Tollana, Daniel returned to Abydos for a little while to help Ska'ra settle back in and to spend time with his off-world family for a while. In the meantime, Chris busied herself with catching up with all the missed work and, for the first time in years, finally looking for a place to live. It wasn't easy- every place she looked at just didn't feel right- as she began to get discouraged after the 15th place she had turned down.

Finally, by random chance, she spotted an advertisement for a small place just outside of town and checked it out. Before the realtor even opened the door, she was in love. It was a quaint, little cottage, barely a thousand square feet in total. Downstairs was a small living and kitchen, with a window opening up to the living room, while upstairs were two bedrooms and a bathroom. The bonus was the fireplace- they always reminded her of home- and the backyard that nestled up to a large expanse of forest. There were no neighbors nearby, separated by woods on either side, which she preferred as well. Without hesitation, she signed the papers and set the purchase into motion.

Two weeks later, she was standing in the living room, a paint roller in one hand and plastic covering every inch of floor around her. She had never painted before but was determined to make the place feel like home. Of course, within the first three rolls up the wall, she had flecks of paint all over here.

"Dammit… that didn't last long…" she muttered, then turned as she heard the doorbell ring. With a frown, she set the roller down and went to answer it. The others knew that she had bought the house, and she had even arranged a House Warming party for the following week. Daniel was the only one to have come by to see it, though, once he had returned from Abydos. Otherwise, there was no one else that knew about the place, so it was with surprise that she found all of SG1 standing on her brand new welcome mat. "Hey, what are you guys doing here?"

"We were in the neighborhood and thought we would stop by," Jack said, his eyes looking her over with a grin. "Either you are painting or you may be turning into a smurf," he said and she grinned. "Guess it is a good thing we all happened to be wearing old clothes, eh?"

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Would you like some help?" Sam asked and Chris nodded emphatically.

"Oh god, yes! Please!" she laughed and let them inside.

"All we ask is for pizza and beer. You HAVE to have pizza and beer at a painting party," Jack said and Chris readily agreed. "Alright, where do we start?"

It took the group only a few hours to paint the entire house- given it was so small and Chris had bought good paint. As Sam, Jack, and Teal'c dug into the pizza she had ordered, she and Daniel sat down on the one piece of furniture (an old sofa left from the previous home owners).

"This whole thing was your idea, wasn't it?" she said quietly and he grinned at her.

"Busted." He admitted. "But, I cant take credit for all of it. When I mentioned the idea to the others, they were all on board with coming to help."

"Really? That was nice of them," she said, slightly surprised by that.

"Chris, you have friends now, and friends help each other out." He said quietly and she looked down with a slight grin. "Besides, Jack would never pass up free pizza and beer." He finished, eliciting a laugh from her. With a content sigh, she leaned against him and he put his arms around her, holding her against his side as they kissed softly.

"Colonel," Sam whispered and nodded towards the couple. They were inside the kitchen, but with the window, they could easily see into the living room. Jack glanced over to where she directed him and couldn't help but smile. It was good to see their friends happy, especially knowing what all they had both been through. Reaching over, he pulled the small shades on the window closed and gave them some privacy.

* * *

AN: Short, but thought you guys would like it. As always, R&R. please!


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: NC-17 CONTENT! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

Chapter 18

"Daniel… wait…" she mumbled around his lips, gently pushing him back, and Daniel leaned back against the sofa with a groan.

"Sorry! Sorry…" he gasped, shaking his head. "Dammit… I think it is Urgo… he wants to experience new things and I think this is one of them." He said and she grinned. It had been two days since their return from the planet, hallucinating and talking to themselves. To be honest, she found most of it slightly amusing- at least until he had walked into her office and practically pounced on her. They had been making out on the sofa for several minutes and, as nice as it was, she couldn't help but stop him.

"Yeah, well, if he wants to experience sex, tell him to get his own girlfriend," she replied and Daniel nodded in agreement. His body was fighting his better sense, making him crave her touch even more than usual, and he thought he might actually lose his mind if they didn't figure this out soon. Taking a few deep breaths to calm his rather over-excited libido, he looked over at Chris and glared at her expression of amusement.

"This is not funny," he growled and she bit her bottom lip. "I should probably go."

"Probably," she agreed, but as he started to stand up her realized his problem was… evident… and sat back down quickly.

"And I will, just as soon as I can stand up without embarrassing myself," he sighed and she leaned over.

"From what I can see, you have nothing to be embarrassed about," she whispered in his ear and he groaned again.

"You are a wicked, evil woman, Chris Domani," he said through gritted teeth and she couldn't stop herself from laughing loudly. "Seriously, Urgo! Help a guy out!" he called out towards the ceiling, jumping suddenly and looking over at something- or someone- that Chris couldn't see. She watched wide-eyed as he argued with what seemed like himself. "No, Urgo! That is NOT something I want to do!... Because it's private and… Well, yes, but not with you lurking around in my brain!"

"Let me try," Chris said quietly and he waved his arm towards where the hallucination was. Feeling like an idiot, she focused her gaze on a lamp across the room. "Urgo, I know you want to experience everything that you can- and that's great- but this... Well, it isn't something you can experience. You see, Daniel and I have feelings and emotions between us that you can't understand or feel like we do. So, please, stop torturing Daniel and stop trying to force him into doing something that he doesn't want to." She said. Looking back at Daniel, she saw him grin softly and nod, hearing something that she couldn't.

"Yes, she is," he said quietly. "Thank you, Urgo. I think she is in her office." He said then relaxed a moment later. "For the record, I never said I didn't want to." He said and, with a quick, chaste kiss, he left her office.

* * *

One Month Later

She sighed as she found him in his office, working late into the night yet again. He had barely left the room in weeks, using work to distract him from the fact that they had left Jack behind on the planet. It was nobody's fault, but the lack of blame didn't make the reality any easier- The SGC prided themselves on never leaving a team member behind, and ironically, Jack stood by that more than anyone. Daniel was beating himself up over not being able to figure out any solution to get his friend back and she had barely seen him since. Shaking her head, she walked in and put her hand on his back.

"Hey," she said and he glanced up.

"Hey," he replied and leaned back in his chair, removing his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"No ideas, I take it?" she asked and he shook his head sadly. "Have you eaten today?"

"Yes… I think…" he said with a frown, completely unsure if he had or not.

"Daniel, you need to eat and get some rest," she sighed.

"No, what I need to do is figure out hos to get Jack back already," he snapped, immediately regretting his harsh, unfair tone. "Sorry…"

"You can't help him if you're in the infirmary because of malnutrition and exhaustion," she pointed out patiently. She had expected him to argue and be stubborn about taking some time for himself- that was Daniel- and she didn't take it personally. Taking his hand, she squeezed it gently. "Alright, how about this: you come eat something and get a little rest and I will leave you alone." She offered and he sighed, kissing her palm softly.

"I never want you to leave me alone, baby," he replied and she leaned over to kiss his lips gently. "Alright, I could use a break, I guess." At that, she grinned and pulled him up.

"Good. Come with me, I need you to see something," she said and led him out of the office. He expected her to lead him down to the commissary, but instead, she pushed the elevator button for the top floor.

"Um… did they move the commissary?" he asked and she shook her head.

"Trust me, you need this more than food." She replied and laced their fingers together as the elevator stopped and the doors opened. "Come on," she said and they walked outside. Passing through the garage, he found himself climbing up the side of the mountain on a familiar trail and he stopped resisting. As they stepped out into the small clearing, she turned to him and smiled. "You said you needed a break. I thought this place might help," she said and he sighed, pulling her into his arms. They gazed up at the stars for several minutes and he could feel the stress and tension leaving him.

"Thank you, baby. You're right, this is exactly what I need, right now," he whispered.

"You're going to get him back, Daniel. You or Sam will figure it out, I just know it." She murmured and he lowered his head to rest against hers. Their connection was growing stronger each day and both were coming to rely on it. Without hesitation, he kissed her slowly and deeply, pouring everything he felt into the contact as the electric warmth filled them both. When they parted for air, he held her tightly and buried his face in her hair, drawing from her offering comfort.

"I love you…" The words were so quiet, he wasn't sure he had said them, but he felt her tense. She had heard him. "Sorry… I guess I-"

"No, it's okay.." she replied quickly, shaking her head. "Come on, let's go inside. You still owe me a meal." Nodding, he let the conversation drop and they made their way back inside.

Once again, she surprised him by not going to the commissary, but instead to one of the private quarters on base. As she opened the door, he saw she had laid out a small dinner of sandwiches, salad, fruit, and even some pudding.

"What would you have done if I hadn't agreed to your deal?" he asked with a chuckle, looking at all the food.

"Probably eaten it all and gone to bed alone," she replied quietly and he swallowed hard as he realized what she had said. Pulling her to him, he cupped her face within his hands.

"Chris, baby… that's not why I said-"

"I know," she said quickly, cutting him off. "And that's not why I said it. Daniel.. I…" Letting out a frustrated grunt, she shook her head.

"You don't have to say it, honey. I'll understand," he said but she shook her head again.

"But, I do… I mean, I want to say it, Daniel, because I do feel the same way. It's just…" she sighed and rested her forehead on his chest and whispered. "I'm afraid…"

"Oh, angel…" he breathed and kissed the top of her head. "Want to know a secret? So am I. I mean, it's not like I've had much luck with people I care about…"

"You and me both," she said and he grinned, nuzzling her gently until she looked up and he kissed her softly.

"No pressure, no rush, tonight or ever. Why don't we just eat and let everything else go at whatever pace comes?" he suggested and she nodded, smiling at him.

"Sounds good," she agreed quietly and, with another kiss, the sat down at the table.

"Okay, I guess I was hungrier than I thought," he said a little while later, his plate practically licked clean and his belly pleasantly full. Chris had simply watched in amusement as he had eaten nearly everything in front of him, claiming only one sandwich and a few grapes. Foregoing the small talk, she had turned on a small stereo she had set up (at a reasonable level this time) and just let him eat.

"I figured as much," she replied with a grin and he sat back in his chair.

"Thank you," he sighed, then looked over and chuckled. "Do you always have music playing?"

"As often as I can," she nodded. "Music is… well, it is kind of magic, you know?"

"Magic? How so?" he asked.

"It can make you laugh, cry, fall in love, calm you, inspire you… It is even able to make you time travel. You hear a song and you're instantly transported to a time and place that it is linked to- where you were, who you were with, what you were doing… It's amazing, Daniel," she said passionately and he smiled softly at her. He never failed to marvel at each new facet of her and his grin widened as a new song began to play from behind them. Standing, he held out his hand to her.

"Dance with me?" he asked and, blushing, she let him pull her up and into his arms. Holding her close, he began to rock them slowly.

_**There's a calm surrender  
To the rush of day  
When the heat of a rolling wave  
Can be turned away  
An enchanted moment  
And it sees me through  
It's enough for this restless warrior**__  
__**Just to be with you**_

_**And can you feel the love tonight?  
It is where we are  
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer  
That we've got this far  
And can you feel the love tonight? (Tonight)  
How it's laid to rest?  
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds  
Believe the very best**_

As they rocked, he nuzzled his face against hers, letting the warmth of their connection flow over them and bring them together. He could feel her heart pounding against his and he swallowed hard as the words wrapped around them.

_**There's a time for everyone  
If they only learn  
That the twisting kaleidoscope  
Moves us all in turn  
There's a rhyme and reason  
To the wild outdoors  
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager  
Beats in time with yours**_

Feeling her shudder in his arms, he pulled back slightly and looked at her face, finding it tear-streaked. There was no sadness behind her blue eyes, just the words that she so desperately wanted to say, along with a million other things, and he instantly understood them all without a single sound. The song couldn't have been more perfect, nor the woman in his arms, and he didn't bother to hide his own emotions as the song finished out.

_**And can you feel the love tonight? (Tonight)  
It is where we are  
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer  
That we've got this far  
And can you feel the love tonight? (Tonight)  
How it's laid to rest?  
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds  
Believe the very best  
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds  
Believe the very best**_

As the song faded out, he caught her lips in a tender, deep kiss. The kisses they had shared previously were nothing compared to this, this that promised so much and spoke of feelings that they both couldn't deny if they had wanted to. Wrapping his arms around her almost as if to protect her, he ran his hand over her back soothingly and she sighed against his lips.

"Daniel…" she breathed in soft surrender and he pressed a kiss to her forehead gently. Stepping back, she met his gaze with her own and slowly unbuttoned her shirt, letting it fall off her shoulders. Swallowing hard, he watched as she next removed her shoes and socks, then her pants. Nervously, she faced him, bare except for her bra and panties. He knew the gift she was giving him. Unlike Sha're, who had been forced to go to him, Chris was giving herself to him- trusting him with her body and her beautiful but battered heart. He vowed then and there to never do anything to lose that trust or her gift.

As she watched, he removed his clothing, leaving only his boxers. With nothing between them, he pulled her into his arms and stroked a hand over her cheek lightly, smiling at her through tear-filled eyes. There was more to this than sex and they both knew it, and they refused to rush through it. Cupping her face again, he kissed her in tiny, fluttering touches, not pressing or forcing, just letting her feel him with her. He could feel how tense she was against him and he wouldn't go further until he was positive she was ready. After a few more kisses, though, she relaxed into him and began to reciprocate, returning his kisses. Reaching between them, she ran her hands over his chest and he hissed, surprised at how hot his skin suddenly felt where she touched him. In return, he moved his hands to her hips, pulling her forward and his thumbs stroked the pressure points just on the inside of her hips. Her reaction was immediate, gasping against his lips, and he knew that he had found one of her hot spots. Filing the information away for later, he continued pressing gentle circles there and moved his lips down to her neck. As he pressed more soft kisses to the junction between neck and shoulder, he felt her nails rake lightly down his stomach, feeling along his abs and stopping at the V of his own hips. There was no doubt about the effect that had on him and she grinned as she felt him press himself involuntarily into her. Slowly, she backed up while pulling him along until she felt the bed behind her. They parted just long enough to lay down, him beside her, and he kissed her softly.

It struck him as they touched and kissed that she seemed almost shy with him and vaguely wondered if she had been with anyone before. Surely someone of her beauty wasn't a complete innocent, but she seemed nervous for someone with much experience.

"Chris, I hate to ask this, but… have you been with anyone before?" he asked and she blushed furiously, looking away. "Hey, it's okay. I just want to make sure I don't do anything that might hurt you or make you uncomfortable."

"I… I had a boyfriend once… in college," she admitted and he quickly did the math in his head. She had graduated with her final degree nearly 5 years before, and it may have been before even that. "It wasn't very good, I don't think… I mean, I never…you know… when I was with him…"

"You never, um…finished?" he asked and she shook her head.

"He told me I was broken somehow? That there was something wrong with me," she said, worry suddenly growing that she wasn't going to be able to do this, but Daniel grinned and shook his head.

"Chris, I assure you, there is _nothing_ wrong with you, angel. But, we definitely will need to go slowly so I don't hurt you, especially if it has been that long," he said and she nodded. "Also, um, what about… birth control?"

"Oh, um… I'm on the shot," she replied and it was his turn to nod.

"Good. As much as I want kids, I kind of want you all to myself, at least for a while," he said with a wink and she giggled. The joke helped lighten the mood slightly and he smiled as he kissed her again. "I love you."

"I… I love you, too," she replied and this time the kiss was deeper and hungrier.

His lips soon broke from hers, making their way back to her neck and down her throat, pausing over her pulse point. One swipe of his tongue and he knew that he had found another sensitive spot, her soft gasp evidence enough for him. Her hands, unsure of what to do, moved over his back absently, encouraging him on. As he trailed lower, he pressed a soft kiss to her sternum then over to just above her heart. He felt her tremble as he kissed her breasts, still covered in lace.

"Let me see you," he whispered and she nodded. Lifting slightly, she unfastened the catch on the back and let him remove the clothing. He had never seen her bare before, not even in his hallucination on Sokar's planet, and he couldn't help but think she was perfect in every way. Meeting her gaze with his own, he saw her shiver- completely exposed and waiting to see his reaction. With a smile, he kissed her and murmured against her lips. "You're beautiful." Shifting slightly, he breathed warm air across her breasts and she arched as they became heavy and started to ache. She wanted him to touch her, needed to feel his hands on her. Reaching down, she took his hand and moved it up her stomach suggestively.

"Please, Daniel," she sighed and he lapped softly at one nipple. Instantly, she arched at the contact, her body coming alive as she licked and sucked gently, moving from one side to the other. He took his time, finding what made her sigh in pleasure and what made her moan more for. He committed every new piece of information to memory and did everything he could to hear her say his name again.

As he paid homage to her, his hand moved back down to the last remaining barrier on her. Up to this point, she had been lost in his ministrations on her breasts, but as his fingers nudged the elastic band of her panties, she froze. All she could think of was Kevin, her ex, and how he had told her she was wrong, that no man could ever get her off. What if he had been right? What if there was something wrong with her.

"Chris, you okay?" Daniel asked, feeling her body go tense again and she gave him a slight nod. "Baby, we don't have to do this if you aren't ready. It's okay-"

"No, I… I want to." She said. "Just nervous, I guess."

"I won't do anything you don't want me to. Just let me know, okay?" he said and she nodded again. Kissing her lips, he stroked down between her thighs slowly, letting her have time to call it off if she wanted, but as he slid his hand down he couldn't help but groan. She was already so wet and responsive, her breathing coming slightly faster just at his simple touch. He stroked his fingers over her satin-covered flesh, letting her get accustomed to being touched there, then pressed down at just the point where he knew the bundle of nerves hidden below.

"Oh, god…" she gasped, her hips bucking involuntarily at the sensation, and he grinned.

"Like that?" he asked and she nodded. "Chris, I want to touch you a little more… I think it would be good before, you know…"

"The main event?" she finished for him and he chuckled quietly.

"Exactly. Just relax, okay? I promise this will feel good," he said and she nodded again. As he continued kissing her, he slipped his hand inside her underwear and she blushed. She had never in her life been this wet before- and he hadn't even really done much, yet! She almost wanted him to stop, the embarrassment taking over, but then his finger moved between her folds and he found that spot again, pressing against her clit, and all thoughts of stopping him went out the door. He focused his movements on just her clit for a while, circling it gently and watching her for any signs of discomfort. Her hips shuddered as he pressed a little harder though and he knew she was enjoying his touch. He wanted her as slick as possible and considered making her come just like that, but didn't want to make her oversensitive for later. So, stroking lower, his finger probed her entrance slightly while his thumb continued the gently stroking above. "Spread your legs for me, baby…" he whispered and she did as instructed, hooking her leg over his thigh. "Just relax…" he said and slowly penetrated her with one finger. Oh god, she was impossibly tight inside and he wondered for a second if she had lied about being with someone before. His lower half twitched anxiously at the thought of being within her, but he refused to hurt her in any way. He wasn't enormous, but he knew he was slightly larger than average and knew that she would need to be stretched and very relaxed before he moved on.

Slowly, he began to move his finger within her, stretching her inner walls gently with every move. Hearing her gasp again, he looked up and saw her eyes closed in pleasure and he kissed her gently as he pressed deeper into her. Her hands were clutching his arm tightly, needing to anchor herself and, unconsciously moving with him. Realizing that she was being selfish, she dropped one hand between them and ran her palm over his erection, but he stopped her.

"I appreciate it, baby, but uh, this is for you right now… Besides, it has been a while for me, too. Wouldn't want anything to finish before it started," he said and she withdrew her hand. "Just relax and feel me inside you…I'm going to do a bit more now." With her nod of consent, he gently added a second finger and began to move in a slow rhythm within her. Returning his lips to her breasts, he pleasured her inside and out until she was writhing beneath him.

"Daniel…" she whimpered and he knew she was close. Searching for that sweet spot inside of her, he strummed it lightly and her hips jumped.

"That's it, baby… Let me feel you… just relax and let it happen…" he murmured, lifting up to watch her. Twisting his fingers slightly within her, he felt her clamp down on him and she cried out, grabbing his arm hard as her body reaching its climax. He watched, amazed at how beautiful the sight of her was in that moment, and knew he had to see it again, over and over. He continued stroking in and out of her, prolonging her orgasm until she collapsed with a gasp and looked up at him. With a grin, he kissed her. "Told you, nothing wrong at all."

"That was amazing…" she sighed and he smiled softly.

"Would you like to stop there for now? Or-"

"Or. Definitely or." She said quickly and he chuckled. Kicking off his boxers, he kissed her deeply and positioned himself between her thighs.

"Wrap your legs around me. I did my best to stretch you, but this may be uncomfortable at first. You have to tell me if it hurts, okay?" he said and she nodded. Guiding himself between her folds a few times, being sure to stroke over her clit while slicking himself generously. Finally, slowly, he slid into her, both groaning as her body fought to accept him. He heard her breathing increase and paused, giving her time to adjust before going any further until he was completely within her. "God, you feel amazing…" he gasped, resting his forehead against hers.

Suddenly, the connection they had always felt seemed to seize them and they felt electricity sizzling through their bodies. It was unlike anything either had ever felt and it took their breath away. Eyes meeting, they felt themselves truly become one and he kissed her deeply. Achingly slowly, he pulled out and thrust back in, the connection throbbing inside his chest and he felt Chris grip him tighter with her legs with each retreat of his hips, pulling him back into her. Nothing else existed for them, the room and world melting away into nothing around them. His body craved more, needed every piece of her to be with him, and he thrust deeper into her, hearing her moan of pleasure in his ear. It was so much, too much, and he had to fight to restrain himself from simply plunging into her with abandon.

"Daniel!" she cried, her body shuddering with every stroke of him inside and he wrapped his arms around and beneath her, his hands gripping her shoulders. Her hands could only hold his hips, not wanting to let go even for a second, and she cried out again as his thrusts strengthened.

"Oh god, Chris.." he groaned, burying his face in her neck as he moved. He was nearing the edge, could feel it crawling up his spine from where they were joined, and gritted his teeth to hold himself back. He needed her there with him, needed to feel her lose herself first before he could give in to his own climax. "Let go, baby… Oh go…" he growled and suddenly it was as if everything exploded around them. White-hot flashes blinded them, setting their bodies on fire as they reached their apex together. Voices mingling, they roared out their release and he held himself deep within her as he poured himself deep inside of her.

It seemed like hours before they returned to themselves, still gasping and twitching together, and they kissed softly, letting their bodies calm. Resting his forehead against hers again, he smiled gently at her.

"Was that what it is always like?" she asked and he laughed quietly.

"No, not really. Chris, I have never felt anything as intense as that," he admitted. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you or anything, did I?"

"Are you kidding? That was… I mean… We need to do that again." She said and this time he had to sit up slightly, laughing loudly.

"Don't worry, love. We can… I just may need a little recovery time, first." He said. Gently, he withdrew from her body and rolled onto his side, pulling her along with him. She nestled within his arms, resting her head on his chest over his heart, and he held her tightly.

"I love you, Daniel," she whispered sleepily and he kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, too, Chris." He replied and they fell asleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

* * *

**AN: Alright, I expect some reviews from this chapter! I finally gave you guys some snu-snu from our lovely couple and I need some feedback if you want more! Thank you!**


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: Just assume that every chapter has smut in it from here on out (they won't, but it is easier than posting warnings every single time!). And don't forget- feedback is the greatest muse out there! Thank you especially to "dpdp" and Missy!**

* * *

Chapter 20

He woke the next moving to the sensation of fingers moving over his face softly. Remaining still, he let her touch him freely, his only movement being to kiss the tips of her fingers as they passed over his lips.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," she said shyly but he grinned.

"You didn't. Go ahead and touch me anytime you want," he replied and she giggled quietly, but then returned to her exploration. He sighed and rested back as her hand moved over his chest, hesitantly skimming over his nipples, and then paused over where his heart was beating. For a moment, she just let her hand rest there and he looked down at her questioningly.

"I like feeling it," she admitted and he smiled at her, covering her hand briefly with his, holding it there.

"It's yours now," he murmured and she blushed. After another moment, she continued lower, tickling along his stomach and ribs, making him squirm a bit. She grinned at his wiggling and gave one intentional tickle to his side before continuing her journey. Next was his bellybutton, then the edge of the blanket that covered his lower half. She could see it was lifted slightly, barely hiding his reaction to her touches. "That's yours, too," he teased and she slowly slipped her hand down, pushing the covers down past his hips and revealing him.

She couldn't help but be reminded of her ex, Kevin. He had always enjoyed this, her giving him hand jobs which inevitably led to him urging her to go down on him. She had never cared for the act- he always muttered obscene, degrading words to her as she did it- and she always felt dirty afterward. He had never reciprocated, which had been fine with her. But somehow with Daniel she found that she wanted to do that. She liked hearing him sigh and moan in pleasure and she wanted to make him feel good.

For the moment, though, she stuck to just touching him lightly. He rose to full attention as her fingers wrapped around him, giving him an experimental stroke, and she saw his body tense at the sensation. Slowly, she began moving her hand up and down, using her thumb to swipe across the head every so often, which pulled a quiet moan from him each time. Looking up, she saw he was fighting hard to not move his hips, his eyes closed and teeth gritted tightly together.

"Chris…" he whispered tersely, a warning in his voice, and she knew he was getting close. She could feel him throbbing against her palm, could feel the involuntary shift of his hips as they fought to thrust. Instead of stopping, though, she sped up and gripped him a bit harder, her thumb now constantly teasing the tip and within a few more strokes, he pulsed with a cry and spilled over her hand. She had watched his face as he came, loving how free he seemed in that moment, and she found that she had become wet just from the sight.

Milking every drop from him, she pressed a soft kiss to his chest soothingly and he finally relaxed. Wrapping his arms around her, he rolled them so that he was above her and smiled down at her.

"That was a very nice way to wake up," he said and she giggled. "Now, it's my turn." And with that, he kissed her deeply, showing his love and appreciation to her. The night before had been about only giving pleasure and sharing in their love. This time, however, he nipped teasingly at her pulse point, his tongue stroking over the skin soothingly, and she reacted instantly.

"Daniel…" she sighed and he groaned.

"God, I love hearing you say my name like that…" he murmured, continuing down her throat and to her breasts. She arched below him as he rasped his stubbled face across her peaked nipples and he realized just how sensitive she was when her hips lifted to his instinctively. "Oh, like that, do we?" he said and she nodded, swallowing hard. Repeating the action, he grinned as she whimpered and her fingers found his head, trying to hold him to her. Without hesitation, he suckled her nipple strongly and she cried out softly, her hips again finding his and grinding slightly. To his surprise, he could feel himself gaining interest again below and he pressed himself back into her, setting up a slow grind against her folds and the bundle of nerves hidden with.

"Daniel…" she panted as he moved to her other breast and he pressed harder. God, she was going to come just from this if he didn't stop, but as she tried to force him lower so that he would enter her, he took her hands away from their place on his hips and gently pinned them above her head.

"No… like this…" he whispered and continued grinding against her rhythmically. "Trust me, baby," he hissed into her ear and interlaced their fingers together. Resuming his ministrations on her sensitive breasts, he shifted to press at a different angle and she cried out wantonly from the new sensation. Her hips began moving with his, seeking more friction and he gladly gave it to her. "That's it… move with me…" he said. As her body suddenly tensed below his, he moved to watch her. "There it is... come for me, angel…" god, you're beautiful…" he rasped and she shuddered, her fingers gripping his hard as her climax rolled through her.

"Oh my god…" she gasped and he chuckled as she kissed him hard, her body still craving more. Wrapping his arms around her, he flipped them again so that she was on top of him, straddling his hips. She wasted no time in moving herself over him, feeling him more than ready for her again, and positioned him at her entrance. Slowly, she dropped onto him, pausing every so often to let her body adjust to him. The night before he had stretched her, but this time she felt a tiny amount of pain as he entered her and she had to stop once he was fully within her. In this position, he was nudging her womb deep inside and the sensations of both almost made her come again right then and there.

"Take your time, love…" he whispered, understanding, and stroked the back of his fingers over her cheek while she waited to accept him. Moving his hands down, he palmed her breasts and gently massaged them, giving her pleasure as she panted above him. It was incredible, the feelings he had- not just the physical, but the emotional pleasure from being within her. Lovemaking with Sha're had always been good, but this seemed so much more, somehow. When she finally began moving slowly, just a small rocking on him, he felt the world disappearing around them again.

"Oh god, Daniel…" she gasped and he rested his hands on her hips- not rushing, just simply guiding and steadying her. Her hands rested on his chest, her body stretching out above him, and he had found heaven. As her pace began to speed up, he reached up and tweaked her nipples slightly, and her hips bucked hard against him at the sensation.

"Chris… god…" he breathed and her eyes met his. Sitting up, he pulled them back so that he could rest a little higher on the pillows, and she grabbed onto the headboard, giving her more power over her movements. It also placed her breasts directly in front of him and he happily lapped and suckled her, feeling her twitch inside in response.

"Daniel!" she cried out as he began to thrust up with her and she moved faster, her body demanding more. They were both so close and, knowing he wasn't going to last much longer, he moved his thumb between them and found her clit. Arching and throwing her head back, she cried out her release, prolonged by his continued thrusts. Before she fully came down, he rolled them one last time and slammed into her as deep as he could. Thrusting himself hard in and out of her, he pressed his face to her neck.

"One more time, baby… come with me…" he growled and it was all she needed to pulse a third time, her world whiting out and he roared his release into her neck. He held himself deep within her, spilled over and over into her womb, and the sensation only made her final climax that much stronger. "God… God…never been like this…" he panted, still thrusting slowly, drawing out their pleasure as they came down.

When they were finally able to move again, he laid on his back and held her to him, kissing her softly and they felt their bodies return to earth.

"Daniel, is it just me or… well, is this a lot more intense than I expected it to be? Not to downplay your roll in it, of course," she said and he grinned.

"I think it is something else, along with our, um, mutual participation." He replied. It was the closest they had ever come to discussing their connection. "I don't know how to describe it, but I can feel it, too."

"It's like I can feel you inside me- not just _that_ way, but your emotions," she said and he nodded. "It's almost scary, but in a good way."

"I'm not complaining," he said and kissed her again. "Chris, I don't know what it is. It doesn't feel like something bad, so maybe we should just enjoy it."

"Agreed." She replied and he chuckled, nuzzling her as sleep began to creep up on them. "You know, it was never like this with Kevin, my ex. Not just the, er, finale, but… You're so different than he was with me."

"How so?" he asked quietly.

"He always, you know, finished before I could even get started and… was kind of rough. He didn't seem really concerned about me, but you… you take care of me. You make sure I am okay, and not just with the finish, you know?"

"That's the difference between sex and making love, Chris. It sounds like this Kevin guy was just a jerk that was using you. Real love making is like this, where we take care of each other and share something much deeper and more enjoyable. I would never-ever- hurt you, and making you feel good makes me, in turn, feel good." He said and she nodded understandingly. Reflecting on what had just transpired, he realized he hadn't exactly held himself back at the end and he frowned. "I didn't hurt you just now, did I? I mean, I got a bit rough at the end and-"

"No, you didn't." she assured him quickly, then blushed. "I, uh, kind of liked it, actually." At that, he nodded and kissed her gently.

"Good. Don't ever let me do something that you don't like or doesn't feel good, okay?"

"I won't. I-" Before she could finish, there was a knock on the door and she sighed. "Damn… I was hoping for round two."

"Oh no, I've created a monster!" he laughed and kissed her quickly before jumping out of bed and pulling on his pants. Going to the door, he glanced over at Chris to make sure she was well covered, just in case, and then opened the door to find Sam.

"Oh, hey, Daniel!" the Major said, surprised to see her friend there, especially without a shirt on. "I was looking for Chris and saw that she had reserved this room. I guess I was mist…" she trailed off as she spotted Chris ducking down in the bed behind him and her face flushed bright red. "Oh! Um… Hey, Chris! I, uh, didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"No interruption!" Chris called from under the covers and Daniel could barely stifle his laughter as she tried to continue the conversation from her hiding place. "Is there something I can help you with, Sam?"

"I, uh, have an idea on… Oh, forget it! Just come to my lab when you can." Sam replied, shaking her head and walking away, still a lovely shade of tomato-red. Glancing back over her shoulder at Daniel, she couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Daniel, your pants are on backward," she hissed and he slammed the door closed quickly.

* * *

Half an hour later, Chris walked into Sam's office, freshly showered and changed into clean clothes. For a moment, both women looked at each other in silence, but it was soon broken by giggles.

"Just, no details, please," Sam said, hugging her friend in happiness. "I really don't need to hear about Daniel's sex life, okay?"

"Fair enough," Chris agreed, returning the hug. "So, what did you want to see me about?"

"Well, I may have figured out a way to get the Colonel back, but… I'm afraid I need some things and they are kind of expensive. I thought it would be easier to just explain it to you instead of trying to write it all out."

"Sam, before you get into this, will it get Jack back?" Chris asked, holding her hand up and Sam sighed.

"I think so. It's our best shot, anyway," she replied.

"Then don't worry about the cost. Just tell me what you need and I will get it for you, then figure out how to balance it later. For this, you have a standing approval, okay? Just get him back, for all of our sakes." Chris said and Sam smiled.

"Thanks. I will take care of Jack, you just take care of Daniel," she said and Chris grinned wickedly as she headed out the door.

"Already did…" she muttered with a wink and Sam groaned, shaking her head, but laughed as Chris left.

* * *

AN: There ya go, guys! Hope you enjoyed! R&R!


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"YOU SONOFABITCH!" Chris roared, bursting into Jack's office and slamming the door behind her. "You get stranded out there for 3 months, 3 months that I watched Daniel, Sam, and everyone else nearly kill themselves trying to get you back. And two weeks after you are finally back, you pull this kind of… of… BULLSHIT?!"

"Chris, calm down. You don't understand. I had a mission-" he said but she slammed her hand on the desk between them, silencing him.

"I don't give a flying fuck about your goddamn mission, Jack O'Neill! Your orders did not include tearing your best friends into pieces, did it?! My god, do you have any idea what this did to Sam? Janet almost had to admit her into the infirmary because she was so exhausted! And Daniel…" she paused, shaking her head and glaring at him. "He went over there because he was concerned about you, because he knew something was wrong and he wanted to help you, and what did you do? You threw it all in his face and kicked him to the curb."

"I had to say that stuff, kid. My place was bugged and they had to believe me. It was just an act- I told Daniel that and he said he understood, that we were okay," he said and she shook her head.

"Maybe you really are as dense as you pretend, Jack, and you must be a pretty damn good actor for them to believe you. But you know what? Daniel is a better actor, because you actually think he is okay." She snarled and he swallowed hard, guilt gripping him. "You used your friendship with him to further your own agenda, knowing full well how that would affect him. Now, you had better go find him and fix this, or so help me, God Himself won't be able to stop me from kicking your ass!"

As the door slammed behind her, he gulped and scrambled to figure out a way to make it up to Daniel. And it wasn't just because Chris was more terrifying than any Goa'uld he had ever encountered. She was right, and deep down, he knew it. Daniel had nodded and made some joke about drawing straws, but Jack had seen the darkness in the younger man's eyes and knew there was some major repairing that needed to be done between them. With a sigh, he stood and headed for the office below his.

"Hey, Danny-boy," the Colonel said casually, walking in a few minutes later and Daniel glance up from his desk. Truth be told, he wasn't really concentrating on any of it, anyway, primarily because of the man now standing in front of him.

"Jack," he grunted.

"I was thinking, um… Why don't you come over later? We can watch a game, drink some beer, really catch up on what I missed while-"

"I can't, Jack. Chris and I have plans. Besides, in case you forgot- yet again- I don't like beer," he replied and Jack mentally winced at how the other man refused to make eye contact with him. Oh yeah, big, honkin' mess he was in….

"Okay, well… how about tomorrow? There's a good special on about the history of sports- something we both might enjoy- and we can get something else to drink- soda or whatever." He tried again but Daniel shook his head. He knew Jack was trying to make amends, but he just wasn't ready to forgive yet.

"No, I cant. It's almost Christmas and I need to go shopping," he replied and Jack lit up.

"Perfect! I need to shop, too. We can go together and help each other out." Jack said quickly. "I'll pick you up at 10 and we'll hit the mall."

"Jack, I-"

"See ya then!" the Colonel said and left before Daniel could get his refusal out. Dammit.

"Hey, what are you doing up so early on your day off?" Chris muttered from the bed and Daniel sighted, pulling on his shoes. He never woke up before noon when they were free from work- unless Chris woke him, and he never complained about that! Yet, here he was, up and dressed by 10, being dragged away from his warm bed and the lovely, naked, warm body still in it.

"Jack wants to go shopping with me. He's picking me up any minute," he grumbled and she nodded. "Cant you at least come along? Be a buffer or something?"

"Sorry, love, but I promised I would teach Cassie some basic self-defense today, and then we are going to the movies while Janet goes shopping." She replied and he groaned. "Should have done all your shopping online, like I did weeks ago." She said loftily and he grinned.

"Oh, you just think you are soooo smart, don't you?" he teased, leaning down to kiss her deeply.

"I thought you loved my brain just as much as the rest of me?" she said and he chuckled, moving his lips to her throat and sucking lightly.

"Always," he hummed and was almost ready to kick off his shoes and rejoin her, but the sound of a loud horn honking outside stopped him. "Dammit, Jack… Just once, you could have been late…" he grunted and Chris giggled below him. Lifting slightly, she kissed the tip of his nose.

"Have fun today," she said and he rolled his eyes. Before he stood, though, she caught his hand with hers and he paused. "I know you're still hurt, and I don't blame you, but… Give him a chance, okay? He may have been an ass, but he is still your best friend."

"Okay, I promise I will try" he replied softly and, with a final kiss, headed out to the enormous black truck.

"You ready for a fun-filled day of shopping and mayhem?" Jack asked jovially as Daniel climbed up into the truck.

"I just need to find a few things, Jack." He replied and buckled in, looking out the side window. "It shouldn't take long."

"Right, well…" Jack grunted, then looked over at the big blue SUV in the driveway beside them. "So, Chris is staying here now?"

"Sometimes." Daniel said tightly and the Colonel sighed. Clearly this was not going to be easy. The normally talkative linguist was anything but today.

"Well, for the record, I'm glad you two finally got together, officially." He said and Daniel snorted.

"Why? Did you win the betting pool on us?" he asked snarkily.

"Daniel, is the whole day going to be like this? I'm just trying to make pleasant conversation and you're snapping my head off!" Jack growled and Daniel turned to glare at him.

"Look, you invited yourself on this trip! I never asked you to come along, I didn't even **want** you to come along, but here we are! You don't like my attitude, then let me out of the truck and you go home to your beer and secret missions!" Daniel yelled. For a moment, Jack was tempted to do just that, but he knew that wouldn't solve anything- plus, Chris would likely kick his ass before he got out of the driveway.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. You're right. If you want to get out and get rid of me, then you can, but I would like to spend some time together and see if we can work this out." He said quietly in a rare moment of earnest diplomacy. Daniel wanted to take him up on the offer, but he had promised Chris he would give Jack a chance and he reluctantly sighed.

"Just… drive." He grunted and Jack smiled, relieved. Pulling the truck out of the driveway, Jack drove towards the mall.

From the window, Chris had watched the exchange. She couldn't hear what they were saying, of course, but she was able to tell that it almost exploded, both men as stubborn as they come. She could feel Daniel's anger and hurt and knew he had only calmed down because of what she had said to him. With fingers crossed for her two favorite guys, she went to shower and change.

"Alright, who have you got on your list?" Jack asked as they walked into the loud, packed mall, and Daniel showed him the piece of paper. "Geez, Danny! This is half the SGC!"

"I know, but…I like all of these people and I need to get them all at least something. The ones at the top are the personal ones, though." Daniel explained and Jack read the top few names- Chris (of course), Sam, Teal'c, General Hammond, Janet, and Cassie.

"Is, uh, is this everyone?" he asked and Daniel nodded, neither man missing the fact that Jack's name wasn't on the list anywhere. Without commenting on it, they continued in past the shops. Jack had his own list- much shorter than Daniel's, though with similar names. "Okay, well, we are near the toy store and we both need to buy something for Cassie. She should be pretty easy. How about we start there?" he said and Daniel nodded, then Jack frowned. "What do you even buy a 13 year old girl?" For a moment, the other man was quiet and he wondered if he had even heard him but a moment later, he saw Daniel shake his head.

"Beats the hell out of me…" he said and, at least for the moment, they both grinned and headed into the toy store.

Three hours later, loaded down with a random assortment of bags and boxes, they sat down in the food court to grab a bite to eat. Jack had managed to find a gift for pretty much everyone already, while Daniel still had one name left on his list.

"What about a nice book?" Jack suggested but Daniel shook his head. "A new car? God knows she needs a new one." Again, a silent head shake. "Well, certain shiny, sparkling, expensive items always are a hit… especially those that fit onto a certain finger…"

"Subtle, but no, not yet." Daniel replied, sitting back in his chair and picking at his food. "Trust me, I want to, and we have talked about it."

"But?" Jack prodded.

"She wants to wait a little while. Admittedly, we did just fall in love a few months ago." Daniel sighed but Jack snorted in amusement.

"Oh please! You two have been head over heels for each other since the day she walked into the SGC!" Jack laughed and Daniel looked down, blushing.

"It was that obvious?"

"Danny, joking aside, anybody that sees you two together can tell you are made for each other." He replied. "I'm really glad you found each other, too. It's good to see you happy."

"Thanks…" the younger man muttered. Silence reigned over the table for a few minutes, both wanting to say something but their stupid male pride not allowing it. Finally, Jack cleared his throat.

"Daniel, for what it is worth, I am really sorry for what I said to you back at my house that day. I regretted it the second I said it, but I couldn't take the chance on giving anything away at the time. I knew I would have to do it to someone, and I almost wish it had been Carter- just because she would have understood and taken it better once the truth came out. But then you were the one who showed up and I had no choice but to use you instead." He said in a rush, blurting out the words so fast that they ran together, but Daniel had caught the gist and swallowed hard.

"I understood, Jack. And, truth be told, I still suspected something was going on the whole time. I knew better than to believe what you were saying, that you didn't really believe any of that garbage. But… I guess it still hurt to hear." He sighed, but then shook his head. "Look, let's put it past us, okay? It sucked, but it's over, and… I forgive you."

"You sure?" Jack asked hopefully and Daniel gave him a small grin.

"Yes. And don't worry, I will make sure Chris doesn't kick your ass." He replied and Jack's jaw dropped.

"You knew?!" Jack cried and Daniel laughed loudly.

"I didn't know she was going to rip you a new one, but I think people four levels around your office heard her go off." He replied, still chuckling. "She's pretty damn scary when she is mad, isn't she?"

"Terrifying! She puts any drill sergeant I have ever met to shame!" Jack guffawed and the two continued their meal, relationship still shaky but at least intact.

AN: I know, it is short, but I needed a transition chapter and I felt like this episode needed to be addressed more than that little, sorry excuse of an apology at the end. Anyway, R&R! Thanks!


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"It was incredible, Chris. I mean, if that's what they were willing to show me, who knows what all they can actually do?" Daniel said, sitting beside her on the sofa. It was three weeks later and SG1 had just returned from Kheb where he had met Oma Desala. Chris just sat back and let his brain go nuts, realizing that- while he was talking seemingly to her, he was really talking to himself and going over everything he had just learned and experienced. She loved seeing him like this, excited and completely geeking out over something. His passion was infectious and she usually jumped right into geek-out with him. This night, however, there was something else on her mind.

"So, you think the boy will be okay?" she asked and he nodded.

"Yes, I really do. If anyone can keep him safe, she can," he replied, then realized he had been talking for an hour without so much as a pause. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I love it when you're like this. I just know we have a busy day tomorrow, with Christmas and everything and I have plans for this evening," She replied and he grinned. In the past, he usually secluded himself around the holidays. Even in the past couple of years, he would show up to whatever party he was invited to just long enough to make a round, then leave. It was just hard to get excited when he was alone. But now… "I, um, was hoping I could give you your present early," she said and he frowned in confusion.

"I thought we were exchanging presents tomorrow at Jack's with everyone else?" he asked and she nodded.

"We are, and I got you something for there, too. But this is kind of special…" she shrugged.

"Fine, but only if I can give you your present first," he bargained and she grinned, nodding. Going to the closet, he dug out a small bag while she reached under the sofa and pulled out a large wrapped box. Returning to the sofa and to sit beside her, he handed her the small bag. "I hope you like it…" he said and she opened the bag, pulling out a rectangular box. Opening it, she found a necklace- fine white gold with a small, intricate pendant hanging from the middle. The pendant was circular, with a cerulean sapphire in the center and tiny diamond in a circle around it. It didn't take much to realize that it looked just like a tiny stargate.

"It's beautiful, Daniel," she breathed and he smiled, helping her put it on. "How in the world did you find it?"

"I didn't. I, um, had it specially made for you." He said and she kissed him.

"Thank you. This is amazing," she replied and they kissed again, this time deeper. Before things could get too heated, though, she pulled back and handed him her own gift. "You're turn."

"Hmmmm, heavy, rectangle… could it be a book?" he teased and she laughed, knowing it was a common gift for him to receive. Carefully removing the wrapping, he saw that it was, in fact, a book. The binding was a deep brown, heavy leather, with his name embossed on the front. Looking from the side, her saw the pages were lined in gold, and seemed very thick.

"Open it," she said quietly and he turned the front cover over. The first page had a small quote printed on it. "_Family is where life begins and love never ends._" Turning to the next page, he felt the air in his chest whoosh out. On the left page was a picture, worn with time and handling, but still in good condition. The picture was obviously taken on a wedding day, with a bride and groom standing together and smiling happily. They were much younger than he remembered, but there was no doubt about who they were.

"Oh god… it's my parents," he breathed and she nodded. Tearing his eyes away from the picture, he looked at the opposite page. It was a letter, written in neat, looping cursive- no doubt by a woman. His eyes skimmed the words, reading how beautiful the wedding was and how happy she and her new husband were thrilled to be leaving America and spending a honeymoon while on a dig in Giza. The letter was to someone named Emily, but Daniel's eyes fell to her signature: Mrs. Claire Jackson. There was a small flower, pressed and preserved, in the bottom of the page, and he saw that it matched the flowers she was holding in the picture.

"Keep going," Chris whispered and he reluctantly turned the page. There he saw more pictures and another letter. He studied the pictures: one of his father standing in a hole nearly as deep as he was tall. Daniel couldn't help but notice how his father's hair was so similar to his before Hathor cut it all off. Another picture showed his mother sitting in a large tent, a brush in one hand and a small artifact of some kind in the other. The smile on her face was just as familiar as his own. The letter beside them was again addressed to Emily and discussed how happy they were and how amazing the dig was.

He continued turning the pages, taking his time looking at each picture and reading the letters. His heart swelled and broke with each new letter and page, but it wasn't until a few pages in that the tears began to fall. There, in the center of the page, being held by both of them, was him as a baby. He tried to read the letter but couldn't make out the words due to his tears, and Chris began to read softly.

"_Dearest Emily,_

_ Welcome our amazing little boy, Daniel Nicholas Jackson. He is the most beautiful baby you have ever seen, although I may be biased. I thought Mel was going to simply burst with pride the first time he saw him. It is funny, as smart as he is, he seems to have no idea of what to do with a baby! He carries Danny as if he is made of glass and that he might break at any minute. And Danny, oh he is just so smart, just like his father. Barely a week old and is already smiling and focusing on our voices. He is such a happy baby, Emily. He was born in the middle of a sandstorm-determined to make his appearance no matter what. A healthy 7lbs, 10 ounces, and 19 perfect inches long. His eyes are blue, like mine, though the midwife said that they could change later- but I don't think they will. He looks so much like Mel, though, that you would think he came directly from him. Mel says he is going to be a great scholar one day, and will no doubt change the world as we know it. All I care about, though, is that he is happy and knows how much we love him. _

_ Love, Claire."_

"They loved you, Daniel, and they were proud of you- and still are, wherever they are now," Chris said and he nodded, a soft sob escaping from him. Pulling him into her arms, she held him tightly, letting him cry into her hair for several minutes. It wasn't the first time he had cried for his lost family, and wouldn't be the last, but he had never had someone to share his pain with and she knew that he needed that at the moment. As he calmed, they continued through the book, gazing at different pictures and reading through the letters. Daniel's heart broke once more as he saw the last picture of his parents and him together, posing in front of the museum where their lives would end only a few weeks later. Reading the last letter from his mother, he took a deep, shuddering breath, and assumed the book was finished, but Chris shook her head. "Keep going." She encouraged and he frowned in confusion, but turned the page.

The next few pages were only pictures, mostly of him and the rest of SG1, along with a couple taken from various parties with Janet, Cassie, and even one with General Hammond. He marveled at the little details she had added around the pictures- dates, occasions, and even some little drawings. The later pictures were of them together- some they had posed for and some that were clearly taken without their knowledge. There was one that he laughed at of them cuddled together on the sofa in her office, both sound asleep. He couldn't even remember when that would have been taken. The final one was of them just recently and he loved it instantly. They were at Jack's house, taken during a team night that she had been invited to. Standing in the living room, alone, just holding each other in front of the fireplace, their foreheads were pressed together and sheer amount of love between them was palpable in the moment.

"I left pages so you could add to it later, if you want." She said and he nodded, too emotional to answer right away. "Merry Christmas, Daniel."

"Chris, this is the most amazing gift I have ever been given. It is beautiful and… God, how did you even get all of those pictures and letters?" he rasped and she grinned.

"I found the college that your mother graduated from and started contacting some of her classmates. I thought she might have kept in contact with some of them and struck gold when I found Mrs. Emily Schaab. They were best friends growing up and she had kept all the stuff from your mom in a box in a closet. When I told her who I was and about you, she gladly sent me all that stuff and even gave me some other contacts to try."

"That's incredible," he said, shaking his head, she reached up to stroke his face softly, wiping away his tears.

"Daniel, she said anytime you want, she would be happy to meet with you and tell you all about your parents. They were friends for a long time, even in high school, and she had met your dad when she was in college with your mom. She said she would love to meet 'Little Danny Jackson' anytime." She said, then smiled. "You have some leave coming to you soon. I thought we might fly down to Florida and meet with her then?"

"That would be perfect." He nodded and pulled her to him, kissing her deeply and making her toes curl. Cupping her face between his hands, he smiled at her. "Do you have any idea how much I love you? How much this means to me?"

"Why don't you show me?" she whispered and he groaned, pressing her back into the sofa cushions with a much deeper and forceful kiss. She gasped as his lips found her collarbone and nipped it softly before soothing the imagined injury with his tongue, a trick he had found out was an instant turn on for her- not that she ever really needed help when he was around. Her hands moved over his back, slipping beneath his shirt to feel his skin, and he hissed at the hot trails she left there. Anxiously, he sat up and yanks his sweater over his head and tossed it to the side, then paused as she ran her hands over his chest and stomach. She loved seeing him like this and he was more than happy to let her touch him whenever she wanted. As her hand stroked over his heart, he held it there for a moment and kissed her softly.

"Il mio cuore batte a causa tua (My heart beats because of you)," he whispered and she pulled him down to her. He had been surprised to find out that she was fluent in Italian and it had become a favorite to use during their lovemaking. They kissed deeply for a long time, pausing only when necessary to remove an article of clothing until they were both bare. Her hands on his hips, she pulled him against her, but he shook his head. "Not yet," he murmured and began to kiss down her body. He had tried to do this once before, but she had become too shy to enjoy it, so he hadn't tried again, until now. He paused at her breasts, worshipping them as she sighed and writhed beneath his lips, then continued down her body. As expected, she began to tense the closer he got to the apex of her thighs, and he stopped just above her hips. "It's okay, baby. Let me taste you," he said, mentally grinning at how much she blushed at his words. "If you don't like it, I promise I will stop."

"Okay…" she finally said, nodding, and he gave her a reassuring smile. Taking his time, he moved himself further down her body, pressing soft, fluttering kisses to the inside of her thighs. He waited until she had relaxed slightly, then licked ever so softly through her folds. Her reaction was immediate and strong, her hips jerking at the sensation, and he rested his arm over her hips to hold her down slightly.

"Just relax…" he murmured and repeated the action, hearing her gasp. She had told him more about her previous experience- or lack of- and knew that this was something that she had never experienced before. It only him more determined to make sure that she enjoyed it. Using his free hand, he parted her folds and swiped his tongue through them again, this time rasping across her clit, and she responded with a deep moan. Oh, she was definitely going to enjoy this. Focusing on her clit, he licked gently in small circles, keeping the pressure light and slow.

"Oh god…" she moaned, a hint of surprise in her voice, and he chuckled quietly. Moving one finger to her entrance, he probed just a little ways in and felt her body tremble. They had made love more times than he could count, but she was still impossibly tight each time, and he refused to not stretch her before entering. Courtesy aside, he knew the dual stimulation would only add to her pleasure, and within a few strokes, she was writhing beneath him. "Daniel… god, Daniel!" she gasped and whimpered and he licked harder, speeding up his ministrations. Hearing her near the edge, he backed down, not allowing her to fall just yet. "Daniel!"

"Not yet… trust me, love," he whispered and eased a second finger into her, though he didn't move. While he waited for her to calm slightly, he murmured quietly to her. "Beautiful… amazing… love you so much…" Each word was accompanied by a soft kiss to her inner thighs. Finally, he returned to his previous actions, his fingers moving slowly within her. He searched out the sweet spot inside, just behind her pubic bone, and drummed his fingers against it gently as his tongue pressed hard licks to her clit. Every breath of Chris's was accompanied by a moan or his name, her body shooting back to the edge almost immediately. Aching and feeling like she was on fire, she fought hard to hold still, helped by his arm over her hips, but before long she was bucking against his mouth, begging for more.

"Please…god, Daniel…. Please…" she sobbed and he finally gave into her. Pumping his fingers deep, he sucked gently on her clit and suddenly she was there. He groaned as he felt her pulse hard and wet, the noise only adding to her stimulation, and she screamed out as her climax hit her. "DANIEL! Oh god!" she cried over and over and he let her ride it out against his mouth and hand, gentling her through pulse after pulse of her orgasm. Mission accomplished, he moved back up her body and returned his lips to hers. It was odd, tasting herself, but she was too exhausted to even consider it.

"Need you… want to feel you…." He rasped into her ear, positioning himself, but she stopped him.

"Wait… it's my turn," she replied and he frowned as she pushed him back onto the sofa. He knew how she felt about this and had never even hinted that he wanted her to return the favor he had just given her.

"Chris, baby, you don't have to- "

"I know. I want to," she said and shifted so that she was between his legs. He watched as she nuzzled his aching member, then hissed as she gently suckled the end of him. Her mouth was hot and wet, her tongue moving lazily across and around him, and he groaned. She worked him slowly, aware that he was already near the edge from what he had been doing. She may have hated this with Kevin, but she had become quite proficient at it and knew just how to pleasure him. Sliding him deeper into her mouth, she sucked hard all the way back up and Daniel's eyes crossed at the intense sensation. She commended him for not thrusting or moving as she moved on him, a gentleman to the end, but soon found that she wanted his participation a bit more. Moving her hands to his hips, she encouraged him to move a bit and he began to thrust slowly with her urging.

"Chris… oh god, yesssss" he moaned and she swallowed him deeper. "Oh god!" he shouted and she quickly backed off, mirroring his actions from earlier. "Oh, you are a wicked, evil…" He trailed off as she raised up and positioned him at her entrance. She teased him for a moment across her wet flesh, now giving him a moment to calm down, but he was too far gone for teasing. Gripping her hips tightly, he pulled her down at the same time he thrust up, penetrating her halfway in the one motion.

Normally, they took their time at this point, giving her time to adjust to his size, but she was having none of that this time. With another thrust of her own hips, she took him deep inside of her and began moving without hesitation. The sensation of her, so tight around him and moving, almost had him coming right then and there. His only hope was to stay still for a moment, letting her move on him, and breathe deeply. Opening his eyes, he found her in the throws of pleasure, her hips moving hard on him and her back arched, pushing her aching breasts out to him. Pressing his face between her breasts, he began thrusting with her, and moved his hand down between them to stroke her clit hard. He refused to finish without her and, thankfully, she was right there with him. With one stuttering thrust of their hips, they exploded together, voices and bodies becoming one in a white-hot flash.

As they began to come back to earth, they fell to their sides, still joined and kissing slowly. The lights from the small Christmas tree she had put up twinkled across their damp skin and he kissed each colorful spot that he could reach. They were frequently quiet just after making love, too exhausted to waste energy in saying things that their bodies had already said. This time, however, he kissed the tip of her nose and smiled.

"Merry Christmas, angel," he whispered and she returned his smile.

"Merry Christmas," she replied and, kissing gently, they fell asleep right there in each other's arms.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

2 WEEKS LATER

She sighed as she walked into his office and looked around. It was strange to be in there without him, but it was the one place that she felt closest to him. It had only been two days since he had disappeared off world, looking into the eyes of some skull made of crystal, but she missed him and couldn't help but worry anyway. Moving further into the room, she sat down at his desk and looked over the random stuff there. Artifacts, scrolls and books with words that she couldn't hope to understand, a picture of them together, and a picture of Sha're. She had insisted he keep out and not forget about his wife, assuring him that she understood how important she had been and that she was perfectly okay with the picture of the woman still on his desk. Sighing again, she leaned back and closed her eyes, speaking aloud quietly.

"I know you are still out there. I can feel you." She said, feeling foolish for talking to an empty room, but not caring. Maybe it was her worry, or maybe it was that strange connection between them, but she swore she could actually feel him still around- his own worry and fear only adding to hers. "I need you to come back to me, Daniel."

"I'm right here, love," he replied, unseen and unheard even though he was perched on the desk beside her. "I'm trying, but I don't know how…"

"The others are going to see your grandfather in the morning," she continued. "I thought about going with them, to meet him and talk to him about you."

"That would be a mistake," he muttered.

"But then I think about how he abandoned you as a little boy, left you right after your parents' death… I'm afraid I can't be the understanding person that you are." She said and he snorted. That was putting it mildly. When he had told her about Nick months ago, she had flown off the handle, ranting about how a _real _grandfather wouldn't have left his grandson to strangers, especially after witnessing what he had. It had taken Daniel over an hour to calm her down, but she still held a grudge against the elder man.

"You probably shouldn't see him," he agreed. "Maybe once I get back… _if_ I get back…"

"You're going to come back to me, Daniel. I know you will…You just have to hang on until we can figure it out. And we _will_ figure it out, if I have to choke Rothman into it." She said and Daniel couldn't help but laugh out loud, but the laughter died on his lips as he saw her lower her head and tears drip down her cheeks. "You see, I need you to come back. It's not because I love you- and I do- but it's more than that, Daniel." He frowned in confusion as she looked down and moved her hand to her lower stomach. "I'm not the only one that needs you to come back, my love." Staring at her for a long moment, he paled as realization dawned on him.

"Oh god…" he breathed and she sighed, smiling down at her belly.

"I guess it is a good thing I left a few pages in the book, because it looks like we are about to start a new chapter." she said and he sat down on the floor in shock as she left the room.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

She was standing in the Control Booth when the incoming wormhole established and she saw Jack and Sam come through. It seemed like hours later- it was merely seconds- before Daniel followed and she ran down the steps. He had barely reached the bottom of the ramp before she launched herself into his arms and he embraced her tightly, burying his face in her hair.

"You came back," she choked and he smiled, kissing her deeply. Neither cared that the room was full of people, currently trying to look away to give the couple some modicum of privacy.

"I had a good reason to come back," he replied, then whispered in her ear as his hand moved to touch her stomach. "_Two_ good reasons." Pulling back, she looked in his eyes and realized he had somehow heard her. But before she could question him, Janet swooped in.

"Sorry to disturb this reunion, but I really need to get Daniel to the infirmary and check him out." She said and the two reluctantly parted.

"I'll meet you in your office as soon as I can get free," he said as Janet practically dragged him away and Chris nodded, smiling.

It was nearly two hours before he walked into the room, closing the door behind him and scooping her up into his arms. Kissing deeply, they clung to each other, needing to feel each other and their connection for a moment. As he set her down, he kneeled in front of her and placed a soft kiss to her stomach, smiling up at her tearfully.

"So much for shots, huh?" he said and she laughed, hugging him again as he stood.

"You heard, I guess," she said and he nodded.

"I was here the whole time. I was in my office when you were in there and, I swear, Chris… I could feel you, too." He replied, resting his forehead against hers.

"That wasn't exactly how I planned on telling you. I only found out the morning that you left for the mission. I just felt off and went to Janet to have her give me a once-over." She explained, then looked down shyly. "Are you okay with it? I mean, it isnt like we planned on this for a while…"

"Angel, I couldn't be happier. I have always wanted kids and I don't care when he or she comes along- as long as it is our child, it is a good time." He replied and she grinned tearfully. Cupping her face, he kissed her softly, "I love you and I already love this little life that we are bringing into the world."

"I love you, too." She whispered and then they didn't say anything for a long while, their lips too busy.

"Something wrong with the chicken?" she asked a few days later as they sat at the table. He had barely touched his food, which was unusual since her garlic parmesan chicken was one of his favorite dishes.

"No, no, it was fine. I'm just not really hungry, I guess." He replied and she frowned.

"You didn't eat breakfast this morning, either. You feeling okay?" she asked and he nodded.

"Yeah, probably just a bug or something. I'll go to Janet tomorrow morning if it isnt better by then," he said. "I just need to…" She watched as he suddenly went green and darted from the table, sounds of vomiting coming from the bathroom a few moments later. Clearing the table quickly, she went down the hall and found him sitting beside the toilet, spatting into it.

"I didn't think the sympathy pains hit until much later in the pregnancy," she quipped, trying to lighten the mood while she got him a wet washcloth. Kneeling in front of him, she gently wiped his face, then frowned. "Daniel, you're hot."

"Thanks, love, but I can honestly say that I am not in the mood right now," he replied and she rolled her eyes.

"I meant you feel warm. I think you have a temperature." She clarified and snagged the thermometer out of the medicine cabinet. Popping it into his mouth, her frown only deepened as she saw that he was running a temperature of about 100 degrees. "It's not too bad. Think you could hold down some Tylenol?"

"I can try," he said weakly, but followed it up by another round of vomiting. This time, he winced in pain as he bent over the toilet and she didn't like the way he was holding his stomach. As he finally managed to sit back, she sat moved to sit beside him.

"Daniel, where does your stomach hurt?" she asked and, throwing male pride aside, he moved his hand gingerly over the right side of his lower stomach. "That's not good." She muttered and placed her hand on the area. "I'm going to push just a little, okay? Tell me if it hurts." She said and he nodded. Pressing gently, she saw his face relax a bit, but knew that if her suspicions were correct the worst part was about to come. Letting go, she winced as he screamed, doubling over in pain, and she rubbed his back soothingly.

"What did you do?" he panted and she sighed.

"I think I just figured out that it isn't a bug. Daniel, honey, I'm pretty sure you have appendicitis." She said and he looked up at her. "I need to call Janet and get you to a hospital."

"Are you sure? I mean-" He was cut off by another vicious wave of pain and nausea and could only finish the sentence with a nod.

"I'll be right back. Try not to move," she said and he chuckled pitifully.

"Not a problem," he muttered and she ran out of the room.

45 minutes later, she stopped Big Daddy Smurf at the entrance to the SGC where Janet and her team were waiting for her.

"What took you so long?" Janet snapped and Chris sighed.

"Getting a full grown man into an SUV when you're nearly 70 pounds smaller than him isn't exactly the easiest thing, you know," she replied and the even smaller doctor nodded, understandingly.

"Fair enough. Are you okay?" Janet said, glancing at her stomach, and Chris nodded. Turning to her team, she began barking orders. "Get a line in him and get him down to the infirmary. We may have to go straight to surgery…" was the last thing Chris heard before they were gone and she was left alone beside the vehicle. Looking down, she rubbed her stomach gently and sighed.

"He'll be okay," she murmured, not sure who she was trying to comfort more- the tiny life inside of her or herself.

"Chris, what the hell happened? I heard Daniel is in there with the Doc for surgery?" Jack asked and hour later as he rushed down the hallway. It was no surprise he was on base- General Hammond was off seeing his grandchildren until the next day, leaving Jack in charge of the SGC for the evening.

"His appendix, I think. He was in a lot of pain and throwing up…I thought it was my chicken…" she said, trying to joke but it fell flat, the worry too strong. Pulling her into a hug, Jack sighed.

"He'll be fine. After all he has been through, something as stupid as an appendix isn't going to stop him," he said quietly and she drew strength from him. "Any idea how long-" Before he could finish, Janet walked out of the infirmary and over to them.

"The surgery was a success and he is in recovery." She said and they sighed in relief. "I have to commend you, Chris. If you hadn't figured it out and gotten him here when you did, his appendix would have likely ruptured and this would have been much more serious. As it is, a little time here in the infirmary and then a week or two of downtime at home and he should be back to new."

"Thanks, Janet. Can I see him?" Chris asked and the doctor nodded.

"He'll be out for a while, but as long as you don't wake him, sure." She replied and Chris went inside.

Walking into the curtained off area, she slipped inside and saw him asleep, as expected. He was pale, and the white sheets not helping him look any better, but the soft beeping of the machines above him and the gentle rise and fall of his chest told her he was okay. Taking his hand, she kissed it gently, then stroked his face.

"Daniel Jackson, you have got to stop scaring me like this." She chastised quietly. "It's bad enough with what happens on missions, but now you're getting sick at home, too? Give a girl a break, eh?" Shaking her head, she pressed a kiss to his cheek and rested her forehead against his. Their connection was weak, but present, and she willed him to feel her there through the sedative. After a few moments, she grabbed the ever-present chair nearby and sat down to wait for him to wake.

"Well, so far everything looks just fine to me." Janet said with a grin as she adjusted the wand to get a different view of the tiny dark blob on the monitor. "If our math is correct, you are about 8 weeks along, Chris. That means we should be able to hear a heartbeat now, if you want to-"

"Yes," both she and Daniel said in unison and the doctor laughed. Placing a new device on the younger woman's stomach, she moved it around, then smiled as a steady, rapid beating came across the small speaker.

"There it is," she said. Staring in wonder at the speaker, both Daniel and Chris teared up and smiled.

"Wow… Daniel, that's our baby…" Chris breathed and he kissed her hand tenderly.

"She sounds like she has run a marathon," he chuckled.

"That's normal for babies, and who said that it is a girl?" Janet asked, removing the monitor.

"Daniel thinks it is, but I know it is a little boy." Chris replied firmly, clearly having had this discussion a few times already with Daniel.

"Well, we won't know that for at least another 8 weeks, I'm afraid." Janet said with a grin. "Now, I need to check Daniel's scar. So, if you will carefully lay down for me, Dr. Jackson…"

"I'm going to go work on the proposal. I'll see you later?" Chris said and he nodded. With a kiss for Daniel and a smile for Janet, she left the infirmary. She was barely in her office before the alarms went off and she sent up a prayer that it was finally the rest of SG1.

AN: I know, it is short and not extremely informative, but I needed a filler chapter. I don't know if anyone is even still reading this, but if you are, I hope you are enjoying it.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Daniel winced as he heard the telltale hit against the iris and wanted to turn away from the gate. The mission had been a mess since the beginning, in no small part due to Jack, and it somehow seemed to end on a fitting note. As the others walked down the ramp, he turned and handed his gun to the nearest Airman and headed out of the room. In the end, Jack had apologized to him, but the hurt was still there and he needed a moment away from his team and the events that had just occurred before the debriefing. Skipping the infirmary, he headed for the one place that was a haven from everything military.

He turned the music down before entering the office, closing the door behind him. Chris looked up from her computer, an automatic smile crossing her lips at seeing him back. She knew it had been a tricky mission, and even trickier trade agreement, but she had no idea about the issues between Daniel and his team.

"Hey, honey. How was-" She was cut off as he pulled her up and into his arms, burying his face in her hair. The tension was rolling off of him in waves and she frowned as she held him. "Daniel? What happened?"

"Just… a bad mission. Can we not talk about it right now?" he replied and she nodded. Leading him over to the sofa, she sat them down and simply held him. Clearly, something had gone very wrong somewhere along the line and he was shaken, and she could feel the ache of hurt from within him. Daniel sighed and moved his hand to her stomach, imagining he could feel the tiny life within, and the thought helped calm him.

"Just relax, love," she soothed, rubbing his back gently. "Whatever it is, it will pass and everything will be okay."

"I hope you're right, angel…" he sighed, then pulled back to look at her. "Chris, you said I have some leave coming up, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Can we take it? Just a few days away from here, away from the gate and everything and everyone associated with it?" he asked and she could hear the desperation in his voice. Frowning, she looked over at her computer where the unfinished proposal was. The Budget Committee meeting was just around the corner- barely two weeks away- but this seemed so important that she could hardly say no.

"How about we take a long weekend? We can take tomorrow and Friday off, then have Saturday and be back Sunday?" she offered and he nodded quickly.

"That would be great." He said and kissed her softly, and she could see the relief in his eyes. "Look, I need to get to my debriefing. I'll ask Hammond for the days off and we will figure out where to go from there. See you after?"

"Sounds like a plan." She replied with a smile. With one more kiss, he reluctantly left her office and headed back downstairs.

The next morning, they were in Big Daddy Smurf, on their way to Jack's cabin a couple of hours away. Daniel suspected he had only offered it out of guilt, but he and Chris agreed it was their best option for the short vacation. Having a rough day, Chris was allowing him to drive, and he rested his hand on her belly as they went down the highway.

"How is Little Chris doing?" he asked and she rolled her eyes.

"Little Daniel is pissed, but I don't know why. He loved watermelon just yesterday," she muttered, willing the tiny baby inside her to calm down.

"At least you haven't gotten any weird cravings, yet." He pointed out.

"Oh, don't give him any ideas." She replied and he chuckled.

"So, when are we going to tell the others about her?" he asked.

"Not until _he_ is 12 weeks along. It's tradition, mostly, but it's also just in case something were to happen." She explained and he nodded.

"Maybe we can tell them at the next team night. I'm sure Jack will want one soon, especially after this mission." He said and she heard the darkness in his voice at the mention of the latest catastrophe.

"We'll see." She nodded, then took his hand in hers, holding it lightly in case he needed it to steer quickly. "So, you wanna tell me what happened between you two?"

"Not really." He sighed and she frowned. "Just… Jack being Jack, I guess. He told me to shut up while we were in the talks with the Eurondans. I was trying to make a point that we needed to find out more about the war going on there and, well, he figured out I was right. He did apologize, so no trying to kick his ass, but it was definitely a low point for us."

"Sometimes it is hard to see the trees for the forest…" she muttered, switching the cliché around, but he understood and nodded sagely. "Well, I cant promise that I wont give him a piece of my mind when we get back, but… can we try to forget it all for now and just enjoy the weekend?"

"Now that sounds like a good idea." He grinned and lifted her hand to kiss her palm softly. As they continued down the highway, she sighed heavily.

"Are we there, yet?"

She groaned as he moved achingly slowly within her, not quite as deep as he typically went. At first, she thought he was just teasing her, but then noticed that he was concentrating on barely moving, and holding himself back.

"Daniel? Something wrong?" she asked but he shook his head.

"Just trying to take it slow. Don't want to hurt you," he grunted and she laughed, pulling his face down for a kiss.

"You are not going to hurt me, nor the baby," she giggled and he drew back to look at her. "I promise, we are just fine. But, you are driving me crazy!"

"Sorry, I guess I just want to be cautious," he replied and pushed a little deeper, but still not all the way. Shaking her head with a grin, she grabbed his hips and forced him all the way into her, making them both groan at the sensation of finally being whole.

"That is much better," she purred and began to move her hips in a way that made his rhythm stutter. "It's okay, love. Let me feel you." She whispered and he began rocking harder into her. He still refused to completely let go, but it was satisfying and within minutes they were both at the edge.

"Love you…love this…needed this…" he muttered in her ear and she gasped as he grinded against her in a hard, rough circle. "Always need this…"

"Always yours…" she murmured and, with a final thrust, he spilled within her, the feeling dragging her over the precipice with him.

As their bodies calmed, he gently withdrew from her and kissed his way down to her stomach, pressing a kiss there.

"I didn't hurt her, did I?" he asked and the concern and tenderness in his eyes stopped her from correcting him.

"No, she is fine, and so am I," she replied quietly and he grinned, moving back up to hold her, both falling asleep minutes later.

A week later, she stormed down the corridor and saw the team walking out of the infirmary.

"DANIEL NICHOLAS JACKSON!" She yelled and he winced. Sam and Jack backed away from the doomed man as he turned and faced her, both of them too chicken to try to defend him. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR DAMN MIND?! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" she shouted.

"Chris, baby, we were under the influence of the armbands," he said, backing up into the infirmary. Desperate for any kind of protection he could get, he grabbed Janet and tried to use her as a shield. If she weren't so pissed, Chris would have laughed at the sight.

"They were supposed to enhance your natural abilities! Apparently, that didn't mean intelligence!" she snapped, ignoring Janet's squeaks of protest as she tried to escape the line of fire. "Did you even consider what would have happened if you had been killed?!"

"Don't answer, Danny. It's a trap!" Jack hissed and Chris turned on him.

"You shut up, Jack O'Neill! You are just as responsible for this as he is!" she growled and turned back to Daniel.

"Chris, angel, I'm sorry,"

"Oh, you're sorry?! A fat lot of good that would have done if you had died and left me and your unborn child all alone!" she ranted, not noticing the others' jaw dropping. "If you ever pull a stunt like that again, the Goa'uld will be the least of your worries! Do you under-"

"Wait, wait, wait, just a cotton-pickin' minute!" Jack said loudly and she glared at him. "You're pregnant?!" Instantly, Chris's anger defused as she realized that she had let the cat out of the bag.

"Dammit…." She muttered, then sighed. Oh well, what was done was done. "Yes, I'm pregnant." She said and squealed as Jack picked her up and hugged her tightly.

"That's great, kid! Congrats!" he cheered and despite herself, she laughed.

"Jack, you're making the baby sea sick! Put me down!" she giggled and he set her down carefully.

"How far along are you?" Sam asked, hugging her friend a bit more carefully as the men congratulated a rather relieved Daniel.

"10 weeks," Chris replied then Sam frowned and turned to her team mate.

"You knew she was pregnant with your child and you still went on this mission?! Are you stupid! What if you had died?! Why didn't you say something?!" she ranted. All Daniel could do was groan and duck his head contritely as the diatribe continued from now both women in his life.

AN: Another short chapter for you, but I thought it was cute. Hope you guys are still enjoying it. As for where this is going, if I write everything I have in my head (which I have been loosely working on for about 16 years now), there is OH so much left to go. That is all I can say for now. ;-) But rest assured, there is much left to go- both ups and downs. Also, last little note- I know my spelling and grammar aren't always the greatest. It is hard to beta your own work and sometimes I miss things. Sorry!


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"You sure you're up for this? You know, I can present the proposal on my own, if you want," General Hammond said and Chris smiled at his kindness.

"Don't worry, sir. This should be no problem." She replied as they walked into the large room where the meeting was to be held. "I'll have them eating out of my hand in no time. By the end of this meeting, they will be throwing money at us."

"I certainly hope so." He muttered. Looking up at the front of the room, they saw the committee walking in and taking their seats. Chris recognized most of them from previous meetings. Senator Kelly, the head of the group, was a fair man and she knew what to expect from him. A couple of the others were new to her, but she wasn't worried. Finally, the last to enter, was none other than Senator Kinsey, who wasted no time in shooting her a cold glare, and she felt her heart begin to pound.

"Damn…" she breathed, turning away on the pretense of preparing her papers. She hadn't seen him since that last meeting in her office, and she hadn't been ready to face him today. There was no doubt he had found out about what had been in her report and her intentions with it, nor was he happy about losing his contact inside the SGC. Still, she had a job to do now and she was determined to do well.

"The meeting is now in order. We are meeting to go over the budget for the Stargate Program." Senator Kelly said and Chris gave him a nod. "Ah, Chris. Long time since I have seen you in here."

"Good to see you, Senator Kelly." She returned politely.

"May we get started?" Kinsey growled and the others in the room sighed. Clearly, Chris's feelings towards the man was unanimous.

"Gentlemen, I have here a proposal for the SGC that I believe you will have no problem approving." She said as she passed them each a copy. "For time's sake, you may turn to page 75 for a finalized number-"

"I think it would be best if we go through and see the itemized numbers, don't you, Mr. Chairman?" Kinsey said and Chris mentally grinned and she caught Senator Kelly rolling his eyes.

"I think a glance at a final number might prove useful." Kelly replied and they flipped to the correct page. As they saw the number, their eyes widened noticeably, just as Chris expected. "Ms. Domani, are you sure this number is correct?"

"Yes, sir. It is."

"This is barely a quarter of the current budget," the woman to Kelly's left said and Chris nodded.

"I am aware of that. Once broken down, this is the amount that the SGC will require to continue running." Chris answered and waited for them to notice the next part. It didn't take long.

"Wait a moment, according to this, the SGC would only have 5 SG teams, which would only be going on a mission once a week- each. I don't understand." Kelly said.

"Yes, sir," she agreed.

"This does not account for new exploration, technological study, environmental studies, nothing…" The man to Kelly's other side said, looking through the proposal.

"I was asked to cut the budget down as much as possible, gentlemen. To do that, we would not be able to focus on any new technology or new exploration, other than the sporadic missions here and there. We also would need to cut our ties with off-world allies and give up the Alpha site." She explained and saw them all frown (well, everyone except Kinsey, of course). Beside her, she heard Hammond growl and glance back at him.

"This is not what we discussed, Chris. What are you doing?" he hissed but she winked at him.

"Trust me, sir. Please." She replied quietly and turned back to the panel.

"I see no issue with this proposal." Kinsey said but the committee all looked nonplussed, with perhaps the exception of Senator Kelly.

"And what, pray tell, would be the budget needed for the SGC to continue on just as it is?" Kelly asked with a hint of a grin, which Chris returned. Digging into her briefcase, she pulled out a new set of papers and handed that to them. In amusement, Kelly reviewed the numbers on the new set, then nodded. "This is more what I expected." He muttered. "Alright, let's break this down, focusing on the new proposal."

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"Forgive me for not trusting you, Chris." Hammond said two hours later as the committee disbanded. They had approved not just her proposed budget, but added more for improvements at her behest. "You were right all along, they were eating out of your hand."

"It was impressive," Kelly said, walking over to them. "Especially since you used the same tactic three years ago for the Y12 site."

"Did I?" she asked with a knowing grin and he chuckled. "Well, I promise to not try it again for at least three more years, Senator."

"See that you don't. And good job, Chris. General, you have the best on your side." Kelly said, shaking Hammond's hand.

"Don't I know it." He replied. "Senator, I was wondering if I could have a word with you…" As the two men walked away, Chris began putting her things away, not noticing the other person coming up behind her.

"Think you're so smart, don't you?" Kinsey hissed in her ear and she turned to him.

"I got what I needed, didn't I?" she replied, doing her best to not give away her terror at having him so close.

"I know all about that report you had on me, Ms. Domani. I suppose it is a good thing that it was destroyed, for both of our sake's." he said, getting even closer to her. "You aren't going to get away with it, you know."

"It seems that I did, though. So, I guess I really am smart, Kinsey," she replied quietly and he glared. "Also, who said that the report was destroyed?" At that, he took a step back.

"It was. The President ordered that it was destroyed." He said and she grinned at him coldly.

"Oh, it was… but nobody ever asked me if there was another copy, did they?" she said. Grabbing her briefcase, she calmly walked away, leaving him standing red-faced and fuming in the room.

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"Dammit…" she muttered as she lay back on the bed and fought with the zipper on her pants. Looking over from the bathroom, Daniel grinned at the sight and wiped his face clean of shaving cream before walking into the bedroom. As she was struggling, he bent and kissed the skin between her shirt and stubborn pants. "That is not helping," she said, but sighed as he nosed the shirt higher and continued kissing her stomach and ribs softly. It was a few days after her triumphant return from Washington and the team was meeting at O'Malley's for a celebration. "Daniel… we are going to be late."

"Don't care…" he muttered and moved her shirt up enough to reveal her breasts. She hadn't put her bra on, mostly because none of hers really fit anymore and were uncomfortable, and he knew they were even more sensitive than usual. Rasping his tongue across her nipple, he grinned as she arched sharply at the sensation.

"That's not fair…" she groaned and he chuckled, moving to the other nipple and sucking on it softly. As his hands moved to her pants, planning on pulling them off (they were a lost cause, anyway, even if she wouldn't admit it), but the sound of his phone ringing interrupted him.

"Dammit…" he grunted, echoing her from before, and she giggled. Reaching over, he saw it was Jack and he reluctantly answered it. "This better be good."

"Hey, Daniel, I was wondering if you could come by and pick me up. My truck is in the shop getting a tune up and I need a ride to the bar."

"Can't you catch one with Sam or-"

"She went to get T from the base." Jack answered and Daniel sighed. Setting the phone down, he relayed the request to Chris, who shrugged.

"Why don't you go pick him up and I'll meet you at the restaurant. I need to find something that fits, anyway." She said and he nodded.

"Fine. I will be there in 20." He sighed, then hung up. Moving up to her lips, he kissed her deeply. "We will continue this later, love."

"Definitely. Be careful and I will see you there." She replied and he climbed off of her.

"I love you," he said and she smiled.

"Love you, too." She returned and he yanked on his sweater as he headed out.

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An hour later, Daniel frowned and looked at his watch again. They had made it to the bar and met up with Sam and Teal'c, but Chris still hadn't arrived yet and he was beginning to get concerned. Pulling out his cellphone, he tried calling her, but it rang and went to voicemail- not something normal for her. Thinking, or rather hoping, she just wasn't hearing it ring, he tried the house phone, and then her house (which she had kept for the time being, but mostly spent time at his place now). Neither place was answered and he tried her cell again.

"Hey, guys… I'm getting worried about Chris. She should have been here by now." He said.

"Maybe she just fell asleep. Pregnancy will do that," Sam said but he shook his head.

"No, she wasn't tired when I left and now she isnt answering her phone. I should probably go check on her." He said and stood up.

"Hang on, I'll go with you." Jack said and joined him.

Two hours later, they hadn't found her at either house, nor heard from her on the phone. Her SUV was gone, meaning she had left Daniel's house at some point, but they couldn't find her anywhere. Jack had called Hammond and his buddies at the police station and there were nearly 100 people out looking for her.

"I shouldn't have left her alone…" Daniel growled as they drove around, looking for any sign of Big Daddy. "She said she needed to find something to wear and that she would meet us there, but I should have waited and just had her ride with me to pick you up."

"That doesn't matter right now, Daniel. The important thing is that we find her." Jack said. "Why don't you try her phone again and-" He was cut off by his own phone ringing and they looked at each other as he answered it.

AN: Again, kinda short. Thanks for reading, guys!


	26. Chapter 26

AN: Be aware, a lot of hurt coming, and not really any comfort for a long while.

Chapter 26

"Where was she found?" Jack demanded as they ran down the corridor, Janet and her team with Chris in front of them. They had arrived just as the ambulance had stopped and Daniel was trying desperately to shove his way to Chris's side.

"Her SUV was in a ravine, about 3 miles from downtown. It was upside down," the Lieutenant said, having been one of the SGC personel that had found her. "Honestly, sir, it was sheer luck that we spotted her. The lights on the SUV were busted out and we just happened to glance over at the right second to notice a tire."

"Chris! Chris, baby, can you hear me?" Daniel shouted, grabbing her hand. His heart sank as he saw her face and body covered in various pools of blood and he realized he couldn't feel her with him, their connection broken. "Chris!"

"Daniel, you have to get out! I have to do my job!" Janet yelled but he shook his head, refusing to let go of Chris's hand.

"Chris! Wake up! It's Daniel, Im right here! Please!" he begged.

"Get him out of here and get her to imaging! Now!" Janet barked and suddenly he was grabbed and unceremoniously shoved out the door.

"Chris! No, let me in!" he yelled, but the two guards at the door were joined by Jack and Teal'c, pulling the younger man back. He fought their hold, screaming for Chris until they managed to shut and lock the door to the infirmary in his face. "Chris!"

"Daniel, it's going to be okay. Doc Frasier is the best and she will fix Chris up," Jack said as Daniel sank to the floor in despair.

"I cant feel her… I cant feel her…" Daniel sobbed, nonsensical to the others. All Jack could do was hold his friend and pray that Janet could pull off another miracle.

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She woke slowly, the sound of quiet beeping above her and the scent of antiseptic burning her nose. She had spent enough time in the infirmary to know that was where she was, and vaguely wondered what Daniel had done to land himself in here this time. Cracking her eyes open, she felt her head throb with pain and she clamped them shut again, groaning. At the sound, she felt someone grasp her hand and stroke her face gently. Feeling the connection between them surge, she knew it was Daniel there.

"Chris, love, can you hear me?" he asked softly and she gave him a small nod. "Can you open your eyes?" he asked but she shook her head at that.

"Hurts," she replied, confused at how rough her voice sounded. He left her for just a moment, then took her hand again.

"I turned the lights down. Try again for me, honey." He said and she slowly opened her eyes again. The room was darker and her head only gave a slight pulse as she looked up. At the sight of him, she smiled automatically, but it faded when she realized with confusion that she was the one in the bed and not him.

"Daniel? What happened?" she croaked and he sighed, kissing her hand gently.

"You were in an accident, honey. Do you remember?" He asked and she frowned. Flashes of light and pain, a sensation of tumbling… and then nothing.

"No." she replied, shaking her head, then wincing at the throb of pain from the motion.

"Your SUV went off the road and down a small ravine." He explained. "We got you here and Janet had to do surgery on you. You had internal bruising, a lacerated spleen, and a concussion. But, she said you are going to be fine." He said and she looked into his eyes. That was when she realized that he had been crying- his eyes bloodshot and swollen, the sadness behind them palpable. Instinctively, she dropped her hand down to her stomach… and froze.

"The baby…" she gasped and looked down, feeling the emptiness mix with the panic rising within her. "Oh god, the baby…" Returning to his face, she saw tears begin to fall again, and he swallowed hard.

"It's gone, love." He choked, kissing her hand again. "Janet tried everything she could to save him, but… the baby didn't make it." Her eyes fell back to her stomach, her hand caressing the shrinking bulge there. She felt numb, like she had been dunked in ice-cold water, and the world around her began to fade away. It was just her and the tiny, now empty bump, and nothing else. He reached out to touch her face, but she moved away from his hand. Rolling away from him, she closed her eyes, leaving him alone.

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"I don't understand. She just rolled over and went back to sleep." He said as he and Janet stood just outside the room.

"Daniel, people react to this kind of thing in very different ways. I have seen women scream and pass out, I've had them call me a liar and other names, I have even seen them hit themselves just out of anger and hurt. She may not have even understood what you were saying at the time." She said and he nodded, sighing heavily. "Look, I know you aren't going to like this, but maybe it would be better for me to be there the next time she wakes. I need to check her anyway, and… maybe talking to another woman, and her doctor, may help her."

"Janet, I cant leave her alone. Not like that, not now," he said but she touched his arm.

"She wont be alone, Daniel. I come off duty in a few minutes and I will sit with her. Besides, you need some rest, along with some food."

"I couldn't-"

"I will make it an order if I have to- a Doctor's order." She said firmly before he could reject her, then softened. "Chris is going to need you, Daniel. The next few weeks, or even months, are going to be incredibly difficult for the both of you and you need to take care of yourself if you have any hope of taking care of her. Get some rest and some food, and I promise that, if she asks for you, I will call you immediately."

"Fine. But, I am staying on base and will be back in a few hours." He replied and she nodded.

"I expected nothing less." She said with a gentle smile. Glancing once more into the room where Chris was still asleep, he sighed and reluctantly left.

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It was two hours later when Chris finally stirred and Janet moved to her side, taking her hand.

"Hey, Chris. How are you feeling?" she asked quietly and Chris looked down at her stomach. "Are you in any pain?"

"No," Chris whispered. Janet took it as a good sign that she was responding to her questions.

"Do you remember waking up before and talking to Daniel?" she asked and Chris nodded, swallowing hard.

"He told me that the baby is gone…" she replied and Janet sighed.

"I'm so sorry, Chris. I really did try everything I could, but…with your injuries with what they were, I was lucky just to get you back. The baby was gone before I could even try to save it."

"It's gone…" Chris whispered and Janet swallowed back tears.

"Yes, sweetie. It is," she said. "Do you have any questions? I think, with time, you will completely heal and there is no reason you and Daniel cant try again down the road, and succeed."

"No…I… oh god…." Chris shook her head, the numbness finally giving way to pain. Curling in on herself, a broken sob tore from her, and Janet sat down on the bed to hold her. There was nothing that could be said or done other than to let the younger woman cry, and that is what Janet did until Chris was asleep again.

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The next time she woke, she was alone. She was on her side, the pain in her body nothing compared to the pain in her mind. The thought of what she had lost brought more tears forward and she curled around herself, letting them fall. She was glad to be alone at the moment, not wanting anyone around her, and that was when her memory of the wreck came back.

She was driving down the road towards to restaurant when she noticed lights come up behind her fast. She changed lanes to let them pass, but they got right behind her, the high beams blinding her slightly.

"Jerk…" she muttered and continued on, but the car got closer to her bumper. If it weren't for the baby inside of her, she would have brake-checked him, or sped up to get some space, but she was cautious now- she had to be for the baby's sake. Trying to ignore the idiot, she kept driving, glad that she was only a few miles away, but suddenly her SUV lurched forward and she realized the guy had hit her. "What the hell?!" The thought barely passed through her lips before the car slammed into her back fender and the SUV skidded. Chris tried to fight physics, but the vehicle smacked into a guard rail and suddenly she was rolling and the world went dark.

Now, in that hospital bed, she knew that it had been an intentional accident. The men in the car had hit her, knowing she was alone and the SUV would flip. And she had no doubt about why they had done it. Groaning in despair, she cried into her pillow, one thought permeating her brain above all others: This was all her fault.

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AN: So, now we know what happened to Chris. It is up to you guys on what happens now. Does the story continue? Or do I end it in another chapter or two? I need some feedback. I see people are reading,,but aside from my one faithful reviewer, I have no idea if anyone is enjoying this. Please please please R&R or I will just end it soon and go back to my little hole in the wall.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27__

__"Chris, please, angel, talk to me," Daniel begged. It had been 3 days since the wreck and she had barely spoken a word to anyone, least of all him. "I know you're hurting, but you aren't alone. I am right here." Still, he received no reply from her and he sighed, laying his head on the hospital bed beside her. He had tried to take her hand but she had pulled away from him. Hearing the door open, he looked over to see Jack walk in and lifted up. Silently communicating, he shook his head and Jack frowned.

"Go get some coffee and food, Daniel. Let me try," Jack whispered and Daniel reluctantly nodded. It wasn't the first time anyone else had attempted to talk to her, but he was willing to try anything at this point. As the door closed behind the younger man, Jack took the chair beside the bed and looked at Chris's back. "So, you're just gonna try to shut everyone out, eh?" he said, knowing she could hear him. "I gotta tell ya, kid, I've tried that before. Honestly, it works pretty well, after a while. You shut people out and eventually there isn't anyone to try to get back in."

"I don't care." She muttered and he considered a small but sad victory.

"Maybe you don't now, but… Honey, I know how this feels, better than maybe anyone else here. I know where you're at, what it's like, and it is no place to live." He said quietly, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Look at me, kid." Slowly, she rolled over and her blue eyes met his brown ones. "The pain will never go away, baby, but life will go on. There is still a lot of good out there, and that man that just walked out the door still loves you more than life itself. We all do, honey. Don't shut us out, let us help you."

"I cant…" she choked, shaking her head, and he moved to sit beside her on the bed.

"Come here," he murmured and pulled her into his arms, letting her cry into his shoulder. But as soon as it began, it ended and she pushed him away hard. "Chris?"

"Go away, Jack." She said as firmly as she could and he frowned.

"Don't do this, kid," he said but she rolled back over and didn't answer him again. Sighing, he stood and left the room.

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"I'm sorry, guys. I know how you feel, but I cant keep her here forever," Janet said as Jack and Daniel stood in front of her, the door to Chris's room closed beside them. "I have given her the number of a therapist and the information on a group that meets twice a week, but past that I cant do anything else."

"Janet, she hasn't spoken a word to any of us in nearly a week! You cant release her, yet, she isnt better." Daniel said but she sighed.

"Physically, she is going to be fine as long as she takes it easy for another few days."

"And mentally?" he demanded angrily. "Is she going to get better mentally?"

"Yes, she will, but not here, locked away like a prisoner. She has to see that life is still out there and worth being." She pointed out and he backed down some. "I'm sorry, Daniel. But, there is nothing else I can do at this point as her doctor. But, if there is anything she needs as a friend, let me know and I will be there for her and you however I can."

"Yeah… thanks," he muttered and went inside. In the room, Chris had just finished getting dressed in her regular clothes and was bagging up the few things she was taking with her. "Hey, you about ready to go?" he asked, trying for upbeat with her. "I thought we could stop at the store on the way home, get some junk food and just spend the weekend watching lousy reality –"

"I'm going to my place, Daniel." She muttered and he frowned.

"Okay, we can go there instead, if you want." He said but she sighed in frustration.

"I mean by myself. I just want to be alone for a while, okay?" she snapped and he looked down.

"Whatever you want, honey." He replied softly, then shook his head. "No. Chris, I know you are hurting right now, and I don't blame you, but you cant keep doing this- shutting people out because of what happened! I still love you and I want to help you! And, don't forget, I lost a baby, too! You may have been carrying it, but I loved it every bit as much as you did and… and it is killing me that we lost that beautiful baby of _ours._ But we have to stick together if we are going to make it through this!" he said passionately but she just picked up her bag and turned away from him.

"I'm sorry, Daniel, but… I cant do this right now. Goodbye." she replied quietly and walked out without another word to him.

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It was nearly a month later before any of them saw her again. Daniel had found out that she had gone to her mother's and decided that maybe some space was exactly what she needed at the moment. But, upon her return, she didn't seek him out or even so much as send him an email other than work-related drabble. If they passed in the hall or found themselves in a meeting together, she only addressed him when absolutely necessary and always in a cool, professional manner. In short, it completely destroyed him to be that close to her without touching, and he realized that the connection between them was gone.

According to the others, she wasn't any warmer towards them, no matter how many times they tried to talk to her. She started bringing her lunch and locking the door to avoid everyone, and even Hammond had attempted to engaged with her without any luck. As for Daniel, he was miserable and surly with his team and department, snapping people's heads off and brooding in his office even more than usual. On missions, the others avoided talking to him and knew better than to mention Chris at all. Even so, they noticed that he hadn't removed her picture from his desk and frequently teared up when he let his mind wander to her. All they could do was hope that the two figured it all out and got back together soon.

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"Daniel joining us?" Jack asked as Sam sat down at the table with him.

"Yeah. I'm sure he'll be a barrel of laughs," she muttered. "I swear, if he and –"

"Chris." Jack said and she nodded, frowning at being interrupted.

"Right, Chris, if they don't get back together soon, I'm going to lose it." She said but he shook his head.

"No, look. It's Chris." He said, pointing behind her. Turning, she saw the younger woman sitting at a table, a young man across from her. "Carter, is it me or does that look like-"

'A date?!" Sam gasped, jaw dropping open. "She's on a date?! And who is that guy?!"

"Beats me, but let's go find out." Jack growled and they walked over to the couple.

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AN: WHAT?! Chris and Daniel broken up!? Chris on a DATE?! You know the trick for getting more info. Hit that REVIEW button!


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"Well, look who it is, Carter! It's our friend, Chris!" Jack said as he walked up to the table and Chris mentally groaned.

"Hey, guys. Um, I thought you were out of town for the next few days." She muttered, glancing nervously at the man across from her.

"Change of plans. Something came up and our _flight_ got cancelled, so we're on downtime for the rest of the week." He replied cryptically, but she understood what he meant. Turning to the man across from her, he quickly appraised him. Blonde hair, a caricature of a movie star, with teeth like birght white piano keys- Jack instantly disliked him. "Who's your friend?"

"Um, this is-"

"Kevin. Kevin Reynolds." He answered, holding out his hand to shake Jack's, who immediately and not so subtly wiped his hand afterward. "And you are?"

"Colonel Jack O'Neill and Major Sam Carter. We're friends of Chris's- good friends," Jack replied, emphasizing the ranks. Kevin laughed as if he had told a joke, then gave them both a sloppy salute.

"Ten-hut!" he said, chuckling, though neither smiled.

"So, do you mind a little extra company?" Jack asked and Chris took a breath to object, but he cut her off. "Great!" He said and they sat down, Sam next to Chris and Jack next to Kevin.

"So, how do you two know each other?" Sam asked, not liking how Kevin gave her- and her breasts- the once over.

"We knew each other in college, when I was getting my Masters in Literature." Chris replied and Kevin chuckled, shaking his head.

"Lot of good that did you, right?" he laughed and Chris forced a grin. "Chris and I were a couple for years. Right, sugar?"

"Uh, yeah. Kevin was my, um, boyfriend." She said.

"And you just happened to run into Chris here?" Jack asked and the guy nodded.

"I moved here a couple of weeks ago and we ran into each other last week in the grocery store. There I was, looking for the beer aisle, and Chris nearly ran over me with her cart!" Kevin said, laughing. He seemed to do that a lot, at things that weren't really that funny. "She never was much of a driver."

"Weird. I've ridden with her several times and Chris seems a great driver to me," Jack said in defense of his friend. Kevin continued grinning but he saw the man's jaw tighten slightly.

"Right, well, anyway, we had lunch a couple of days later and dinner tonight. It's been great, catching up on old times. Right, sugar?" he said and Chris forced herself to not wince. She had always hated that nickname from him.

"Right, yeah, it's been great." She nodded with a smile.

"So, you moved here a couple of weeks ago. Did you move for work?" Sam asked, a bit more subtle with her prying.

"Yeah, yeah, I am working for this little dot com business downtown. Nothing big, of course." Kevin said, then turned to Jack. "So, you guys work up at that mountain with Chris? What do you do?"

"Oh, a little of this and little of that… mostly that, you know." Jack replied. "What business did you say you're working for?"

"Oh, I…" Kevin trailed off as someone else walked up to the table and Chris paled. Damn….

"Daniel, hey," Sam said, glancing at Jack in a panic. They had forgotten all about Daniel joining them. "We were, um, just talking to Chris and her friend…"

"Kevin Reynolds," Kevin said tightly, nonplussed that his dinner-date had been interrupted by yet another person. At the introduction, Daniel glanced at Chris. He knew that name, remembered Chris mentioning it a time or two, and realized it was her ex- the one that had been so awful to her back in school.

"Daniel Jackson," he grunted, glad they were too far away for a handshake. Chris had yet to look at him and he could feel his heart beating wildly, either from being so close to her or from the furious hurt at the situation. As he was trying to figure out a way to escape from there, Jack came to his rescue.

"Well, I guess we should leave you two to catch up. Daniel, we've got a table over here already," Jack said and stood along with Sam. "See you tomorrow, kid. Kevin, it's been… well, have a nice dinner." He said, undiplomatically, and they walked away. Making their way to the table, Sam could almost feel the guy's eyes on her ass.

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"I cant believe she is with him. What the hell is she thinking?" Daniel grumbled yet again as the three sat, surrounded by several empty glasses. It hadn't slipped either Jack or Sam that most of the glasses belonged to him and Sam had stopped drinking long ago, already knowing she would have to drive him home later.

"Look, maybe they really are just catching up on old times. They were together for a couple of years, and it was a few years ago. Chris is probably just being nice," she said. Unfortunately, that was when they noticed Kevin had dragged Chris out onto the dance floor and was currently snaking his hand down to her ass as they moved to the music. Chris seemed uncomfortable but allowed him to do it, forcing a smile as they chatted.

"I don't think I can take this… I need to talk to her," Daniel growled and before they could stop him, jumped up from his chair and barged over to the dance floor. "Chris, we need to talk."

"Daniel, I'm kind of busy, if you haven't noticed." She said, glancing at Kevin apologetically, but Daniel- especially with alcohol in his system- was not one to back down easily.

"I don't care! We need to talk and we need to talk now!" he demanded and Kevin stepped forward, giving Daniel a small shove.

"She said she was busy. In case you didn't realize it, we are on a date." Kevin said, towering over Daniel. Before a brawl could break out, Chris stepped between the two glaring men.

"Kevin, wait. Look, give me just a couple of minutes, okay?" she said and he gritted his teeth. "Please, don't do this. Just let me talk to him and I will be right back."

"Fine. Two minutes, and then I will come and end the conversation for you." Kevin threatened and Chris dragged Daniel away from the dance floor and out the door.

"Daniel, you cant do this!" she snapped, then frowned as she realized just how much alcohol he had had. He reeked of it.

"What are you doing with him?! Kevin, of all people?! Did you forget how he treated you back in school?" Daniel demanded and she sighed.

"That was a long time ago. He's been nothing but polite and sweet to me since we saw each other a week ago." She said, shaking her head.

"I don't care! Guys like that don't change!" he shouted and she rounded on him, staring him down.

"It doesn't matter who I am seeing, Daniel! It is none of your business now! We are over," she said and he let out a frustrated grunt.

"Why?! Why are we over, Chris?! I don't understand! You love me! I know you do! I don't understand how, but I can feel it , in here!" he said, tapping his chest hard. "We lost our baby, and… I would give anything to get it back… but that didn't meant hat we had to lose each other! I love you, Chris- I still do and I always will! So, please, just tell me what happened! Why did you leave me?" He had started out yelling, but ended on a soft, desperate plea, a sob strangling him to get out, but he held back. "This is killing me, honey. Please, just help me understand…" Chris turned away before he could see her own heartache, shaking her head.

"I just…" She almost caved right then and there, but then memories of what happened, of the reason for it all, washed over her and she found her resolve. "I cant be with you, Daniel. That's all there is to it. What we had is over and… I have to move on, okay?"

"Chris, please-"

"I said it's over! Now, I have a date to get to and you have more drinking to do. Goodbye, Daniel." She muttered and left him standing there in the parking lot without an explanation or even look back.

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"Hey, Chris. I was wondering if I could get that request from this morning pushed through?" Sam said as she walked into the younger woman's office. It had been a few weeks since the dinner date and, while they were all still walking on egg shells around Daniel, Sam was determined to still be friends with Chris.

"Oh, sure. Let me take a look…" Chris muttered and dug through the pile of papers in her Inbox. "Where you off to, now?"

"Russia. We leave in an hour, once all our supplies are together." The Major replied, fiddling with one of the toys on the edge of the desk. Chris kept a small array of them, mostly so Jack wouldn't touch any of her nicer knickknacks when he came by. "So, how are things going with Kevin?" It was the first time his name had come up between them and Sam hoped that Chris would tell her that he was long gone.

"It's great! It's like we never left off from where we were in school, you know?" Chris replied and Sam's heart sank a little. "He's been staying with me a lot, since staying in a hotel gets expensive."

"Staying with you? Um, wow… That's fast, isnt it?" Sam said and Chris frowned.

"Well, he's busy. He doesn't have much time to go looking for his own place." Chris replied defensively and Sam nodded. "He said it is only for a little while, that he will find a place of his own when he gets a chance."

"So, it was his idea?" Sam asked, knowing she was pushing her luck.

"Well, I mean… he had no choice. He needed a place to stay until his first check came in, and I didn't see any reason to say no." Chris said, then shook her head. Quickly, she signed the req form and shoved it across the desk. "There ya go. Have fun in Russia." She said abruptly and Sam understood it was a dismissal.

"Right. Thanks. Um… Maybe we can grab dinner one night when we get back? Just a girl's night?"

"Yeah, we'll see… I'm pretty busy nowadays." Chris muttered and the Major nodded.

"Yeah. Well, see ya, Chris." She said and left the office.

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"You're late," Kevin growled from the sofa as she walked into the house.

"Sorry. Someone at work has gone missing and I was making sure they had everything they need to get him back," she said, dropping her bag beside the door and walking into the living room.

"You mean _Daniel_ is missing, don't you? He said and she sighed.

"Yes, it's Daniel. But, it doesn't matter. I would do it for anyone there." She said but he shook his head, standing to face her.

"Sure you would," he replied sarcastically.

"Kevin, please don't start that again-"

"I saw you, Chris! Need I remind you that you left OUR date to go calm his drunk ass down?!" he yelled and she groaned. It was a constant argument between them, made worse every time she was remotely late home from work. And god help her if she made the mistake of mentioning his name.

"You remind me every time this comes up. Kevin, he doesn't mean anythi-" He cut her off as his fist slammed into the wall beside her.

"Don't fucking lie to me! You two were together and that doesn't just go away! I'm not stupid!" he yelled right in her face and she tried to back up, but her back found the wall instead. "You still love him, don't you?! ADMIT IT!"

"No, I don't love him!" she shouted, wincing as he pressed her back into the wall. "Kevin, stop! You're scaring me! I said I don't love him, okay?! What more do you want from me?!"

"I want you to prove it. I want you to prove that you love me and not him." He growled and she had a flash that took her back to a day in her dorm room, after she had made a joke about her British Literature teacher looking like Kevin Costner.

"I love you. I don't love him, not anymore." She said, voice shaking. She was afraid, but she refused to cry. That only made him worse- he hated it when she cried. Always had. "Please, Kevin. Calm down. I love you…"

Placing his hand lightly on her face, his caressed her from cheek to jaw. As his hand reached her throat, his grasp tightened slightly on her windpipe- not enough to cut of oxygen or blood, but enough to make his point.

"Don't let me ever hear you say his name or even think you are seeing him. Do you understand me?" he asked and she nodded, her hand on his wrist. His hold loosened and a smile crossed his face as he leaned in and kissed her- hard and controlling. "Good. Now, how about spaghetti for dinner? I'm craving carbs…"

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"Daniel, can I speak to you for a minute?" Jack ordered more than asked, and grabbed the younger man's vest, practically dragging him out of the tent and away from the others. "What the HELL is wrong with you!?" he growled.

"Jack, let me go!" Daniel snapped and shoved the other man's arm away from him. "What are you talking about? The Enkaryns are going hom, the Gadmeer are going to be fine, everyone is winning. Why are you pissed!?"

"Because you defined a direct order- TWICE!" Jack yelled, barely resisting the urge to smack him upside the head. "You KNEW we were going to blow that ship up, that we had the reactor set to go off, and you still went up there! I had to give the order that was going to kill you! I mean, come on, Daniel! Do you have some kind of death wish!?" The look in his friend's eyes made him instantly regret the question and he sighed. "Ah, Danny…"

Shaking his head, Daniel walked a few feet away, head low.

"I'm not sorry for trying to save the Enkaryns the way I did, Jack. It worked, and that was worth the risk." He said, avoiding the conversation that he knew was coming anyway. "I didn't do it to kill myself… I just didn't care if I happened to…"

"Daniel, I know this break up with Chris is rough, but you cant do this kind of stuff." Jack said quietly and saw the younger man's shoulders fall in defeat.

"I don't care anymore… I don't understand what happened…"

"Look, Im not good at this stuff- you know that, but… The guy is a jerk, and Chris is smart enough to figure that out. She'll dump him soon enough and when she does, you'll get her back. You two belong together and it will all work out in the end."

"Maybe…" Daniel sighed, his voice soft and strangled. "But, maybe she is better off with him. It's not like I'm exactly the luckiest guy to be around, right?" he said and, wiping his eyes roughly, walked back to the rest of the group. Jack just shook his head and followed, wishing he could figure out a way to fix this.

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"Chris, did you approve that requisition I sent up?" General Hammond asked as he walked into her office a couple of weeks later.

"Yes, sir. The S&R team has a standing approval for whatever they need to get SG1 back," she replied. Reaching out to hand him the paper, her shirt sleeve rose up her arm and he frowned. Catching her hand, he gazed at the dark, purpled skin.

"What happened?" he asked and she gently, but quickly, pulled from his grasp.

"Nothing. Just a stupid accident while training yesterday," she replied, yanking her sleeve back down.

"A training accident?" he questioned and she nodded. "Who were you training with?"

"Lieutenant Kelly, from SG9. She wanted to practice grapples and, well, she got them down pretty well, I guess." Chris said with a small laugh. It was plausible enough, and Hammond knew that she was very well trained, and that she frequently sparred with personnel on base.

"I guess so," he nodded. "Just be a bit more careful, okay? And you might want to have that checked out by Doctor Frasier."

"I will. Let me know if you need anything else, sir." She replied and he nodded, leaving her office.

Later that afternoon, he met with SG9 about their upcoming mission. Everything seemed fairly routine, no lifeforms spotted by the UAV, no inclement weather- just a run of the mill mission. Of course, there was no such thing at the SGC, but he never worried as much with the other teams as he did with SG1 (they were always the ones getting into trouble!). After ending the meeting, with a scheduled time to leave at 0800 the next morning, he stopped Lieutenant Kelly.

"Lieutenant, I saw you did a number on Ms. Domani during your sparring session yesterday." He said and the woman stopped. "I trust you got your grapples down, now?" Okay, he knew it was wrong to be checking Chris's story, but something just hadn't felt right about it. The lieutenant's answer didn't put him at any more ease.

"Sir?" she asked. "I didn't spar with Chris yesterday."

"You didn't?"

"No, sir. She cancelled on me- said she wasn't feeling well." Kelly said.

"Oh, okay. Well, I must have misunderstood. Dismissed, Lieutenant." He muttered and with a nod, she left. Damn, he knew something was wrong.

He planned on confronting Chris about the lie that afternoon, but before he could, the S&R team returned from trying to find SG1 and the conversation left his mind. Later, he would reflect on his forgetfulness with guilt and kick himself for not pursuing it further.

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AN: Okay, a longer chapter for you guys, since you seem to still be enjoying it! THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! I guess I can keep the story going for ya ;-) Let me know how you feel about this chapter, please. As for what is coming, let's just say that it is always darkest before the dawn….


	29. Chapter 29

AN: TRIGGER WARNING! MENTIONS OF RAPE AND ABUSE! PLEASE BE AWARE!

Chapter 29

"Hey," he said, walking into her office. As a rule, he had avoided her at all costs since the night at the bar, but since everyone in his department had been reassigned by the new General, he had no choice but to go to her for his requisition.

"Hey," she grunted without looking up. "Need something?"

"Uh, yeah, um… I was hoping to get this request approved," he replied, walking over to hand her to form. It had barely hit her desk before she had it signed and back to him. "Thanks,"

"You're welcome," she replied. "Oh, and you have a standing approval for your department, or what is left of it."

"Really? Um, that's good. General Bauer approved that?" he asked and she shook her head, still looking down at the papers in front of her.

"No, I did. He hasn't reassigned or replaced me, yet and the guy is a total blowhard. Go nuts while you can." At that, he couldn't help but chuckle and she flashed him a grin. She only looked up for a second, but it was enough for him to see her face.

"What happened to your eye?" he asked, no longer laughing, and he saw her tense.

"Nothing," she grunted.

"Chris, look at me," he demanded and, with a huff, she looked up. "Jesus, Chris, it's almost swollen shut!"

"It was just an accident. I'm fine, okay?" she gritted out between her teeth.

"Did Kevin do that?"

"No!" she snapped, but the response was too fast and sounded false even to her own ears. "Look, it really was an accident. We were talking and he was waving his arms around and it accidentally caught me."

"Chris, I have been hit more than a few times. That is more than a rogue gesture catching you," he said and she stood angrily.

"I thought I made myself clear at the bar. My personal life is none of your business anymore," she growled.

"I know we aren't together now, but I still care about you, Chris. If he is hurting you-"

"Stop!" she yelled sharply. "Daniel, I don't love you. I'm with Kevin, now, and just because you don't like that doesn't mean you can make accusations about him, okay? Kevin is a good guy and he cares about me. So, get out of my office and get out of my life!" Recoiling as it slapped, he backed away from her and towards the door.

"Fine… but, my feelings haven't changed for you. Whether you like it or not, I still do and always will love you. If you ever need anything at all, I will be there for you."

"Yeah, well, I don't need you, and I never will." She said and sat down, turning her back to him. Swallowing hard, he left her office and locked himself in his lab for the rest of the day.

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Pain… dizzy… had to run, but god, it hurt so much…. She had no clue where she was and the rain drizzled down heavily, making it hard to see. Every breath she took caused her side to seize and she had to fight the urge to cry out…he to keep moving… safety… she needed safety… Something was tugging her in a direction- she didn't know or care what direction… she just followed it blindly and hoped for the best… everything was so fuzzy, her sight, her mind… She felt like she had been running for hours… She may have been, honestly, she didn't know or care… Safety… the tugging from her chest… follow the tugging… follow the pull… one foot in front of the other… Had to get there… had to make it… She had to make it or else it was all for nothing…

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He grunted as he made his way down the dark hallway, cursing as he stubbed his toe on a side table. It was the first night he had back in his house since Hammond had been reinstated and he wondered who the hell would have the nerve to wake him. No doubt, it was Jack, probably drunk and needing cab fare (at least he never drove drunk). Shaking his head and hobbling to the door, he threw it open and took a deep breath, ready to lambaste the Colonel.

The sharp retort on his lips faded away instantly as he saw her. Drenched from head to toe and visibly shaking, she had obviously been out in the freezing rain for a long time. Even in the dim light, he could see part of her face was swollen and already purpling from what would no doubt be a hell of a black eye by morning, and he saw a watery trail of blood leaking from a nasty cut just below her hairline. Judging from her torn clothes and the way she was holding her side, he knew the bruises didn't stop at just her face.

"Oh god…" he breathed and quickly pulled her inside, kicking the door closed behind them. Leading her into the living room, he snatched a throw blanket off a chair and wrapped her in it, then helped her sit on the sofa. He left her only long enough to grab the first aid kit from the kitchen, then kneeled down in front of her. As he touched the cut on her forehead with some antiseptic, she flinched away from him. "I know it hurts, baby. I'm sorry, but I need to clean this so I can see how bad it is, okay?" he said and she slowly nodded. Cleaning the cut as gently as possible, he couldn't help but notice how her eyes were unfocused and never seemed to quite meet his. It didn't take 3 doctorates to realize that she was in shock. Reaching up slowly, he stroked her uninjured cheek softly. "Chris, talk to me. What happened?" he asked, already knowing the answer but needing to hear her voice. Blinking, she took a shaky breath and looked down at her shaking hands.

"He… he hurt me…" she whispered and he swallowed hard against the wave of anger and heartbreak those three words brought on. He forced his emotions down so he could focus on her for the moment- she needed stability right then, not him flying off the handle.

"It's okay, baby… it's going to be okay. He can't hurt you here. You're safe," he murmured, his thumb stroking her cheek softly. She didn't respond, just continued to shiver violently. He needed to get her warmed up and dry, and hopefully past the shock of what had happened. He also needed to check to see if there were more serious injuries. "Chris, I need to get you warm. How about a hot shower and then I'll make us some coffee?" he asked and she nodded mutely. Taking her hands, he gently pulled her to her feet and led her down the hall to the bathroom attached to his bedroom. Leaving her for only a second, he turned on the water for her and let it run for a moment before returning to her side. "Do you need help?" he asked. He knew the pain of even the most basic tasks when one was injured and would have been surprised if she was capable of removing her clothes on her own. But, given what had likely just happened, he wanted her to feel in control of anything that happened to her.

At her small nod, he slowly and carefully unbuttoned the remnants of her shirt- an easy feat since most of the buttons were long gone anyway- and gently peeled it down her shoulders and arms. Her bra had managed to stay intact and he left it on for the moment so as to not leave her completely exposed. Once the shirt was gone, though, he was able to see just how vicious the attack had been. Nearly every part of her torso was covered in angry welts and bruises- clearly made by large fists and at least one had the outline of a boot. There was no doubt that she had a couple of cracked, if not completely broken, ribs and he suspected one shoulder had been dislocated at some point, though it appeared to be back in place now.

"God…" The gasp escaped him before he could stop it and he saw her flinch in shame and embarrassment. Kicking himself for the slip, he touched her cheek again in a gentle caress. "I'm sorry, honey. It's going to be okay. Are you ready for the rest?" he asked and she nodded, eyes still down and dull.

The skirt she was wearing hadn't fared much better than her blouse, but it was at least easier to remove. He wasn't surprised to see that the bruises continued down to her hips and thighs, fingerprints evident in the marks on her hips. Once gone, along with her shoes and socks, all that was left were her undergarments. He wrapped a towel around her to leave her some modicum of privacy, then moved to stand behind her. As he unfastened the hooks on her bra, he could feel her body shaking so hard that he was surprised she was able to stand, so he paused and moved back to stand in front of her.

"Hey, look at me," he whispered and her eyes slowly made their way up to meet his. "Breathe with me, nice and slow…. In…Out….In….Out…" Inhaling deeply, he watched as she followed him, her lungs filling and then deflating in time with his as far as they could. After several breaths, he saw that her shaking had diminished slightly and she was still looking at him. "I won't take them off until you're ready. No pressure, no rush, okay?" he said and she nodded. Taking a few more breaths, she finally swallowed and met his eyes again.

"Okay," she breathed, so quiet that he almost didn't hear her. This time, he stayed in front of her and finished removing her bra. He had seen her body before, every inch of it, but he still had the grace to look away in the brief moment she was exposed. Kneeling before her, he reached beneath the towel slowly to the he, of her underwear and immediately felt her tense.

"It's okay, angel. It's just me. I wont hurt you, baby," he murmured. "Come on, say it with me. It's Daniel and he wont hurt me."

"It's D-Daniel, and h-he won't h-hurt m-me," she stuttered and they both repeated it over and over as he carefully and slowly pulled her underwear down. He had to look down once they were around her ankles so as not to trip her, and that's when his voice faltered.

The crotch of the panties were soaked in blood, the stain leading back and up almost to the top. He knew Chris was on the depo shot, as were all women on base, so it couldn't be from her monthly period. As the implication hit him, he felt his stomach roll and had to swallow several times to keep from vomiting.

She couldn't bare to look at him as he stood, afraid of what she would see in his eyes. Anger? Disappointment? Disgust? Any of them would have destroyed her and, in that moment in time, he was all she had left in the world. There was no hiding her shame from him now and all she could do was wait for whatever harsh words he would throw at her. God knew she deserved every one of them and she trembled as he stepped closer to her.

"Chris…" Maybe it was the way her name rasped from his tight throat, or the way his chest heaved with barely suppressed emotions, but her eyes finally lifted to meet his. What she saw there was pure, unadulterated love that shined out at her through his tears. After everything they had been through, the harsh words she had so callously thrown, and her pushing and shoving him away in the most brutal way she knew how- he still loved her. It was that realization that broke through her haze.

He barely caught her as she crumbled and sank to the floor, and he quickly sat down, pulling her into his arms as the first sob tore from her. 27 languaged be damned, he knew there were no words that he could say that would fix this. All he could do was let her shatter apart right there in his bathroom floor as he rocked her gently, his own tears falling into her damp hair. He was careful not to put any pressure on her ribs or back, though he doubted she would even feel it through her misery and heartache. Feeling her clutch his shirt desperately, he pressed a soft kiss to her temple. The tender, comforting touch- something she hadnt felt in so long- drew even more sobs from her and she buried her face into his chest.

He had no idea how long they sat there- minutes? hours?- before she had finally calmed. The shivers had returned with a vengeance, but this time he knew it was a mix of cold and exhaustion. Shifting ever so slightly, he looked down at her.

"Let's get you warmed up, okay?" he asked and she nodded. Carefully, he helped her to her feet and she watched blankly as he stripped his own clothes off. Leading her to the shower (and thanking god for a gas water heater so there was still plenty of hot water left) he guided her to stand under the spray, then joined her.

Seeing her sway slightly, he gently pulled her to him, letting her rest against his chest as he ran a washcloth over her back softly. There was nothing sexual about his touch, and the cleansing had little to do with the soap and water cascading down her body. This was about a washing away all the awful stuff between them, about helping her rid herself of any shame or guilt, of cleansing the remnant of the evil that had come into her life. He knew it was only a temporary feeling but he felt her begin to relax with his gentle strokes.

"Can you turn around?" he asked and she nodded, turning and letting him pull her back to his chest again. He continued washing her as he let the stream of hot water relax her body further. She tensed only once, when he ran the cloth over her hips. "It's okay, baby. I don't have to touch you there," he said and she nodded.

"It's Daniel… He wont hurt me… It's Daniel.. he want hurt me…" she chanted quietly and he kissed her temple again.

"That's right, angel. It's just me and I will never hurt you," he whispered and finished his task. Finally, he gently washed her hair and let the water rinse away all the soap residue from her.

Stepping out of the shower, he helped her onto the mat and quickly grabbed a couple of towels- wrapping one around his own waist before gently drying her body. She sat sedately on the toilet as he dried her hair, not saying a word.

"Let me find something for you to wear," he said and they moved to the bedroom. After some digging, he managed to find a small pair of sweats and the tshirt of his that she had always loved wearing. They were a little big on her, but that was probably for the best- loose clothing hurt less with injuries, anyway. Throwing on his own sweat pants, he helped her back into the living room and onto the sofa. "I'm going to make us some coffee. Will you be okay for just a couple of minutes?" he asked and she nodded.

Making sure she was comfortable, he darted into the kitchen. As he put the pot on to heat up (with some decaf coffee he reluctantly allowed to sit in the back of the shelf), he grabbed the phone and made a quick phone call. He hated to go behind her back, but the injuries were bad enough and he couldn't forget the blood in her underwear (for the rest of his life, the thought of that would haunt him). Phone call made and coffee ready, he poured a couple of mugs and returned to the living room.

"Here we go, lots of cream and sugar, just like you like it," he said quietly and she accepted the mug, though didn't take a sip. Sitting down beside her, he tucked a piece of damp hair behind her ear, needing to touch her so much that he couldn't resist the tiny gesture. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked but she shook her head. As much as he had been through in his life- the hellish foster homes, the abuse and beatings, not to mention his current job- he couldn't fathom what she had gone through that night, and he refused to push her into reliving it. Sitting there in silence, he saw her shiver and wanted nothing more than to hold her and drive all the pain away. As if she could feel his yearning, she slowly leaned over and rested against his side, letting him gently wrap his arm around her, and she let her head go to his shoulder. For the first time in months, he felt the tiniest of tugging between them. Their connection was frayed and tattered, but it was still there.

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The knock at the door made her jump and he saw the fear in her eyes as she cowered away.

"It's okay, it's okay. It's just Janet." He said quickly and she frowned as if she didn't understand him. "I called her. Those ribs need to be looked at and she needs to make sure you're okay, baby." He explained and she swallowed hard, looking down with a nod. Gently, he stroked her cheek and touched her forehead with his. "Say the word and I will send her away. Nothing has to be done unless you're okay with it. I'm just worried about you, angel. It would make me feel better if she took a look, but it is completely your call," he whispered and, after a moment, she closed her eyes and nodded.

"Let her in," she said and he smiled.

"Thank you, honey. I will be right back," he said and, kissing her forehead softly, went to answer the door.

"Where is she?" Janet asked as soon as the door was open and Daniel briefly worried he had made a mistake.

"She's in the living room, but, Janet, she-" He stopped as she shoved past him and walked into the room. Before his eyes, she went from Boss Doctor mode into gentle, caring friend mode.

"Hey, Chris," she murmured warmly, sitting down beside the younger woman. "Can you tell me what happened?" Shaking her head, Chris looked away. "It's okay, you don't have to tell me anything yet. Would it be okay if I check out your injuries?" Seeing her glance at him, Daniel took the hint and left the room to give them some privacy. Regardless of the shower and everything, he understood that the examination was going to be unpleasant at best- a nightmare at worst- and that Chris would likely be more comfortable without him there watching.

Returning to the bathroom, he bagged up her clothes, trying his best to not look at any of it. The thoughts of what had happened to her welled up within him and, with a barely suppressed cry of anger, he slammed his fist down onto the sink hard. He needed more, needed to get it all out, but time was not a luxury and he quickly swallowed his anger and pain down. There would be time for that later, once Chris was better.

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Once finished in the bathroom, he waited in the kitchen until Janet came in, her own strong façade cracking.

"Is she okay?" he asked and she sighed.

"Physically, she will be okay in a few weeks. The ribs are just cracked from what I can tell. I really would prefer taking her to the hospital and x-raying the, but she refused. Keep an eye on her stomach and back and if you see anything that could possibly be internal bleeding, get her there no matter what she says." She said and he nodded.

"What about… the blood?" he asked and she had to swallow hard.

"It was bad, but no permanent damage that I can see. She… she confirmed it was Kevin and that he… he did rape her." She said and Daniel had to lower his head to his hands, taking deep breaths. "Daniel, I know this is all awful, but it is a good sign that she came here, to you. Most women never even tell anyone that it happened, but she came here and let you help her. I know it seems small, but it is a good sign."

"What can I do? I want to help her, Janet," he said and she patted his hand.

"Believe it or not, you are doing exactly what she needs right now. You are being there for her. That's all anyone can do. Hopefully, she will open up to you and talk about it- be prepared for that, and let her talk, don't shut her down. Let her be in as much control as possible over anything that happens to her. She doesn't want anyone else knowing about this right now, and we need to respect that until she says otherwise." She said and he nodded. "I'm giving both of you the next week to two weeks off, with possibly more than that if needed. I want her to stay here, with you, for at least a week."

"Oh, she will." He said and she nodded, unsurprised.

"Good. Now, I have given her a sedative and some pain killers. I will drop back by tomorrow with more meds and I'll recheck her injuries then. For tonight, just let her rest." She said.

"I will. Thank you, Janet." He replied and walked her out the door before returning to the living room. Chris was still sitting there, blanket wrapped around her, but her eyes now had a glazed look from the medication. "Hey, baby. Let's get you to bed." He murmured and she nodded, already half asleep.

Gently, he led her to the bedroom and helped her lay down in the bed. Tucking her in, he debated on turning out the light beside the bed, then decided against it.

"Daniel?" she said, sounding far younger than her age, and he paused. "Will you… you know… stay?" she asked and he smiled gently.

"Of course, honey. I was just going to turn off the lights in the house." He replied but she looked so afraid in that moment that he decided to forget about the electric bill. Crawling into the bed beside her, he lay there for a moment, unsure of what to do from there. But she took the matter out of his hands by moving to curl into his side, her head resting on his chest over his heart just like she had done so long ago. Kissing her forehead softly, he ran his fingers through her dark hair until he felt her drift off to sleep.

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AN: Super-duper long one for you guys. I have had this written for literally YEARS, so I hope you liked it. I know it was kind of rough, but now our favorite pair is back together and can start healing from everything that has happened.


	30. Chapter 30

AN: As a side note, I know Daniel is technically still in his apartment at this point in the series, but a house is much easier for my story, so bear with my out-of-cannon stuff, please. Oh, and Teal'c is scary, but what about when Jack finds out what that SOB did to her? Find out below! Thanks!

Chapter 30

He spent most of the night watching her sleep, calming her whenever she became restless, and wondering what had changed all of a sudden to bring her back to him. It was only a few days ago that she had told him that she didn't want him in her life, that she didn't need him or love him. And yet, here she was, in his bed and pressed against his side. Sometime just before dawn, questions still swirling around in his mind, he drifted off into his own sleep.

When he woke, he found himself alone in the bed, and for a moment wondered if it had all been some kind of awful dream. Rolling over, he saw the bathroom door cracked open and the light on inside, a soft noise travelling to his ears from the other room. He climbed out of bed and padded over to the door, knocking quietly.

"Chris? You in there?" he asked but received no response. "I'm coming in, okay?" Silence reigning, he pushed the door open and found her standing in front of the mirror, staring at herself. As predicted, the bruising had only grown worse during the night and, as a result, her eye was nearly swollen shut. Moving to stand behind her, he could see the shame and self-loathing in her eyes in the reflection and knew the bastard had hurt far more than just her body. Careful to not hurt her ribs or back, he wrapped his arms around her and moved his lips to her ear. "You are still beautiful,.. and strong… and smart…" he whispered and she looked down, shaking her head in mute objection. "You are, angel."

"How can you say that? Look at me…" she rasped and he smiled sadly.

"I am, love, and do you know what I see?" he asked and felt her body shake as tears began to fall. "I see a woman that has been through so much that it would have broken anyone else ten times over, but she still refuses to let life turn her cold. I see someone that can light up a room just by walking into it, who takes my breath away every time I see her. I see someone that is loved by so many, even when she doesn't think she deserves their love. And, most importantly, I see someone that has lost her way, but is not alone and if it takes the rest of my life, I swear I will help her find her way back." His voice was rough but firm and he felt her grasp his arm hard as the sobs broke free and she doubled forward over the sink. Resting his forehead on her shoulder, he took a ragged breath. "I'm right here, baby, and we are going to get through this. Just keep fighting, love…" he breathed against her nape. "Promise me that you will keep fighting…"

"I promise…" she choked and turned to face him, burying her face in his chest and crying until she was weak and had no more left in her. Pulling back lightly, he cupped her cheek gently, his thumb brushing away her tears, and she gave him a small, watery smile.

"That's better. God, you're beautiful when you smile," he murmured, returning her smile and pulled her back to him as he kissed her forehead softly. It was surprising how easily he had slipped back into his pet names for her, and how easily she accepted them; and he was thankful she trusted him enough to come to him, even after everything that had happened. "Are you hungry?" he asked and felt her nod against him. "Let's get some breakfast. Janet said she was coming by this morning to check on you and give us some meds."

"Great…" she muttered and he chuckled. He knew how much she hated taking medicine, an old anxiety stemming from her brother's addiction. Taking her hand, he led her to the kitchen and helped her up onto the barstool. While she watched, he scrambled up some eggs and bacon- all three strips that he still had, anyway- and supplemented with some oatmeal he found in the back of the cabinet. It wasn't much, but she was hungry and ate not just her share, but a good portion of his as well.

"Chris, I want to ask you something but if you aren't comfortable answering yet, it's okay." He said and she stilled. "What changed your mind? I mean… I thought the other day, when we were in your office, you –" He was cut off by a knock on the door and sighed. "That must be Janet." He muttered and they walked out to answer the knock.

"Hey, Daniel. Frasier said you were taking…." Jack trailed off as he spotted Chris over Daniel's shoulder, and his eyes went dark. "What the hell?" he growled, shoving past the younger man and stalking towards Chris.

"Jack, wait!" Daniel cried but it was too late. Backing up, Chris's back hit the corner of wall and her eyes glazed over, terrors of the night before taking control. Her hands out in front her, she shook her head hard.

"No, no, no, no…" she chanted breathlessly.

"What happened?! Who did this to you?" Jack demanded, not noticing that she was in the throes of a flashback. Jumping over to them, Daniel grabbed Jack's arm and tried to pull him away. "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?" Jack yelled, shoving Daniel away.

"No… please, no…" Chris sobbed, beginning to hyperventilate.

"Jack, stop!" Daniel shouted, again trying to pull the incensed Colonel away from the panicking woman.

"No! Tell me what happened to her! Why does she look like she just went three rounds with Mike Tyson!?" Jack demanded again, furious.

"JACK, YOU'RE SCARING HER!" Daniel yelled

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN! TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED TO HER FACE!"

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Daniel shouted, stepping between Jack and a now frantic Chris and pushing him back.

"_**WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE**_!?" came a fourth voice over the disaster in the house and the two men spun around to see Janet in the doorway. For a moment, the only sound was Chris's harsh breathing, having slid to the floor and covered herself with her arms protectively. Glaring at the men, Janet pointed at the door. "_**OUT! NOW**_!" she barked and they hurried outside, too terrified of the small woman to argue. The door slamming behind them, Jack got in Daniel's face.

"Tell me what happened to her! Now!" he ordered and Daniel sighed. Chris hadn't wanted anyone to know, but there was no way of covering it up now.

"Kevin…" It was all that needed to be said and Jack's face turned red from fury.

"THAT SON OF A BITCH!" Jack roared and took a few steps away, desperate for something or someone to hit. "I'm going to fucking kill him!"

"Get in line," Daniel muttered softly. Hearing the anguish in his friend's voice, Jack looked at him and saw he had his arms wrapped around himself in a tight self-hug. Taking a calming breath, he walked back over.

"What happened, Daniel?" he asked, calmer.

"She showed up last night… She was in shock, wet from walking in the rain… I called Janet and she came over…" Daniel said quietly, but his hands were clenching into fists. He had kept his composure around Chris, but the whole situation had exploded and he needed to let it out before he blew. "He hurt her, Jack. He… he hurt her so much…The bastard beat the shit out of her! And then he… Oh god…" Swallowing hard, he closed his eyes and forced the words out. "He raped her, Jack." Stomach lurching, the image of her underwear in his eyes, he barely made it to a nearby shrub before his breakfast reappeared. As he vomited, Jack moved to rub his back soothingly. His stomach coming under control, Daniel slammed his fist into the ground, anger exploding. "WHY, JACK?! WHY CHRIS?!" he cried, throat raw, and the older man shook his head.

"I don't know, Danny. But, I know that he is going to pay once I find him." He swore, his voice dark and deadly. As Daniel spat on the ground and wiped his face dry, they heard the door open and Janet waved them inside.

"Are you under control?" she asked, looking them over critically, and they both nodded contritely. "Good. Chris is in the bedroom. I had to give her a mild sedative to get her calm. She'll probably be asleep in a few minutes."

"Can I see her?" Jack asked but Janet shook her head. "Please, Doc. I need to see her. I promise I wont upset her again, but I really need to apologize to her."

"Fine, but only for a couple of minutes. Make sure she stays calm." She relented and Jack nodded.

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He walked into the darkened room and saw her on the bed, curled away from the door. The shirt she was wearing had ridden up slightly and even in the dim light he could see the angry bruising along her spine. He could feel his blood start to boil again, but took a breath and moved forward, sitting on the bed behind her.

"Hey, baby," he whispered and saw her tense at his voice. "I'm sorry for earlier, for losing my mind like that. I… I guess I was just shocked, that's all…Forgive me?" he asked and she nodded, her back still to him. "Please, Chris, look at me." He sighed but she didn't move. For a long moment he just sat there, trying to figure out what to say or do that could possibly help her.

"I'm sorry…" It was so quiet, he almost missed the two tiny words.

"For what, kid?" he asked, confused.

"Being weak…" she whimpered, voice cracking. "I should have stopped him…"

"Oh, baby…No," he murmured, gently pulling her into his arms. "You aren't weak, honey." He said but she nodded against his shoulder, her tears soaking his shirt. "Baby, bastards like that… they convince you that you are weak, but_ they_ are the weak ones. They break you down over time, it's what they get off on, and by the time you realize it, it's too late. But, sweetie, you are one of the strongest women I have ever met- right up there with Carter and Frasier. You can take on anyone in the world; I've seen it, Chris. And this bastard is not going to win, do you understand? We wont let him. We are going to find him and he is going to pay for what he did to you. I swear to God, he is going to pay." He said firmly but he felt her body tense and he calmed himself a bit. "Everything is going to be okay, kid. I want you to just focus on getting better, okay? Just let me and the others take care of this guy."

"Okay," she whispered and he dropped a kiss on the top of her head before helping her lay back down in the bed. "Thank you, Jack," she said and he grinned at her.

"Anytime, kid. Get some rest." He replied and left the room, replaced a few minutes later by Daniel, who laid down beside her. The sedative taking hold, she curled up to him and sighed as his arms wrapped around her protectively.

"Sleep, love. I'm right here." He whispered and she drifted off.

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AN: Alright, R&R for me, guys! You know it always helps to get me to post faster! I am really interested in what you think of this chapter and the pace of everything. If you have questions, let me know- though I already have a few answers planned in the future chapters. Also, I swear it isnt going to stay dark- We will return to more fun and gooey smut stuff soon! Thanks for the awesome reviews that you have given me! Much love!


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

He lay awake, watching her sleep for the next two hours while running his fingers through her hair soothingly. The morning had not been the best start to the day but he had seen a light of hope during breakfast. It was the first time he had really felt their connection begin to reemerge and he held onto that fine line with everything he had.

Before leaving, Jack had assured him that no one other than SG1, Frasier, and Hammond would ever know about what had happened, then told him what she had said. Daniel's heart had broken once again and he remembered what Janet had said.

"I can help her heal physically, but the mental damage is going to be harder to fix." She said and the two men nodded understandingly.

He had meant what he said earlier that morning, that he would help her if it took the rest of his life. Sighing, he nuzzled his face into her hair and breathed in her scent, letting the warmth of their bodies and connection wrap around him.

"You," Chris said quietly and he frowned, not having realized she was awake. "You were why I changed my mind," she continued, answering his question from the kitchen. "The other day, when you came to my office and I said I didn't love you… I think I was trying to convince myself of that more than anything. I was trying to prove that I could live without you, be without you, and that I didn't love you anymore…But, I was wrong…" He sighed heavily, closing his eyes at her soft admission, his arms holding her a little tighter. "Kevin knew the whole time that I still loved you. It was the biggest reason for our fights… his beatings… He was jealous of you, even though I would deny any feelings for you over and over. But he knew…" Taking a deep, shaky breath, she moved so that her head was on his shoulder, needing to feel him before she went on. "Last night…" Immediately, her eyes welled up with tears and she could feel her body begin to go into fight or flight mode, her breath coming out harder.

"You don't have to tell me, baby," he whispered but she shook her head.

"I do…" she replied firmly and forced herself to go on. "Last night, I finally couldn't do it anymore. I tried to break it off with him, told him that he was right all along and that I was still in love with you. I was so stupid… I knew he was going to lose it when I said it, but I did it anyway. I had to and… you were worth the risk." she said and felt him swallow hard. "I never dreamed he would react like that, though… He… He destroyed everything, like some kind of animal… The beating was like nothing before… God, I really thought I was going to die, Daniel… And when I thought maybe he was finished, he…" She trailed off, shaking her head, the memories too much to fight anymore and she began to sob quietly.

"Shhhh, it's okay, angel. Just breathe… You're safe now. He will never -_ever _\- hurt you again." Daniel whispered and she clutched his shirt tightly, trying to ground herself.

"He… he said he would ruin me… that I w-was his and… and n-no one w-would ever w-want m-me again…." She stuttered and Daniel's tears fell in her hair. "After… h-he laughed and f-fell asleep… I d-don't know how, b-but I ran…I had no idea wh-where I was g-going, but…s-something was p-pulling me and…I-I found m-myself here…"

"God, Chris.." he choked and held her as close as he could without hurting her.

"It was our connection, Daniel…I think it was what saved me…" she whispered, her own tears falling. "I'm sorry… I am so sorry, Daniel, for everything I have said and done to you… god, I'm sorry…" she wept. Ribs be damned, she pressed herself into his arms and tucked her face into his shoulder as the sobs racked her body.

"No, angel… Don't… It's okay, it's all in the past… And the important thing is that you're with me now, and I will never let you go again…" he rasped, kissing the top of her head and temple softly.

"God, Daniel… how can you forgive me after everything?" she hiccupped and he let out a tearful chuckle. Taking her hand in his, he pressed it to his chest, over his heart.

"Feel that? It still beats because of you, because you're here, Chris. I told you, it is your forever, and nothing will ever change that." He whispered. A small smile graced her face and she looked up at him. The connection surged between them and he stroked her cheek gently, pressing a tiny kiss to her lips. It was a small touch, meant to be reassuring, and she accepted it gratefully.

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They spent the rest of the day cuddled together, watching crappy reality television (a guilty pleasure of Chris's that Daniel only was able to tolerate because of his love for her). He served tuna sandwiches and crackers for lunch, then called Janet to give her an update.

"Is she taking her medicine?" she asked and he sighed.

"No. She really does hate drugs of any kind, Janet." He replied, glancing into the living room where Chris was napping. "I thought about crushing them up and slipping them to her in some applesauce, but I don't actually have any applesauce."

"Do I even want to know what is in your fridge?" she asked and he had the grace to look down (even if she couldn't see him).

"Well, it isn't exactly a long list. I never got a chance to refill it after our last mission." He admitted.

"Fine. Send Sam a list of what you need, any comfort food you know Chris likes, and I will send her over in a little while. She'll bring Chris some extra clothes and essential stuff, too. Keep trying with the meds, at least the antibiotics. I don't want her getting an infection on top of everything else." She said and he nodded.

"Will do. And thanks," he said, then hung up the phone.

"You'll do what?" Chris grunted from the sofa, having woken just at the end of the conversation.

"Janet says that you really need to take your meds, honey." He said, walking over to her, and she scrunched her nose petulantly. "Sam is going to come over in a while with some food and clothes for you. If you are a good girl and take at least your antibiotics, I can make sure that she brings those chocolate muffins from Victor's coffee shop that you love so much."

"Bribery? Is that what you're resorting to, now?" she asked with a teasing smile that lit his heart.

"Is it working?" he asked and she giggled softly.

"Actually… no. But, I will take them for you." She replied and he kissed the tip of her nose before going to the kitchen for the pills and a glass of water.

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A couple of hours later Sam knocked on the door and Chris wondered if she would ever be able to hear a loud noise without jumping again. Daniel answered and let their friend in, giving her a warning look before leading her to the living room. Thankfully, Sam had seen her fair share of injuries on both herself and others and was able to mask her shock at Chris's bruised face.

"Hey, Chris. How are you feeling?" she asked, sitting down as Daniel went to unload her car of the groceries and other things.

"Been better," Chris muttered, hating that so many people now knew about what had happened.

"I brought you some clothes and other things, like your toothbrush and soap. I figured you wouldn't want to smell like Men's Old Spice, so I grabbed some of your favorite Victoria's Secret body wash." She said and Chris smiled at that.

"Thank you, Sam." She replied softly. "So… you went by my house?"

"Yeah, I did," Sam said quietly. "Don't worry, it is okay. I picked up around the living room and cleaned up a little for you."

"You didn't have to do that."

"Hey, what are friends for? It wasn't that bad, anyway. No worse than Cassie's room at Janet's," Sam joked and at that Chris snorted. Cassie was legendary for being a typical messy teenager. She knew her friend was trying to brush it all off, but she was too tired to argue.

"Thank you all the same." She said, then looked over as Daniel returned to the living room.

"Hey, do you care if I shower really quick while you two hang out?" he asked and they shook their heads. Chris knew he was worried about leaving her alone even for a few minutes and, for the moment, it touched her that he was being so protective. Of course, she also knew that it was going to get annoying eventually. Still, she was more than glad for his coddling for the time being and she was glad that Sam was there to give him a slight break. With a quick drop of a kiss on the top of her head, he turned and left the room.

"So…are you two…?" Sam asked and Chris sighed, leaning back.

"I think so. I don't know… I guess we are just taking it slowly, you know?" Chris replied and Sam nodded.

"That's probably for the best, especially after everything." She said, then put her hand on Chris's arm. "You know, if you ever need to talk to someone other than Daniel about anything, I am here for you. We all are, Chris."

"Thank you," Chris whispered and smiled at her, fighting tears. "I guess everyone knows now?"

"No. Just SG, Janet, and General Hammond. We had to tell him, of course, to explain why you and Daniel are not at work, and Janet had to report to him."

"He's probably pissed that I'm skipping work," Chris muttered and Sam frowned.

"Chris, you don't get it. When we all found out about what happened, we were heartbroken. It is the first time I have ever seen the Colonel upset like that, and I thought Teal'c was going to punch a hole through the wall. The General has approved us all for time off to do whatever we have to, to help you and to find that asshole, Kevin. He was willing to put the entire base out there to look for him but the Colonel explained that you probably wouldn't want everyone knowing, so we all have a standing gag order, not that we really needed one. We all care about you so much, Chris, and we are here for you, no matter what." Sam explained and Chris lost her battle against her tears yet again. "It's going to be okay, Chris. I promise."

"I don't deserve you guys…" Chris sniffled and Sam sighed, pulling the younger woman into a hug.

"Don't say that. You are a great person, always have been. We are all just glad that you are going to be okay," she said, her own tears filling her eyes. They sat like that for a few minutes, holding each other, and that was how Daniel found them.

"Sam, you were supposed to be making her feel better, not make her cry!" He cried comically, eliciting a slight laugh from both women (which was the point). Joining them on the sofa, the three sat and chatted for a while before Chris stood.

"I'm going to take a shower, now that I don't have to smell like Daniel," she said with a teasing grin.

"You okay on your own?" he asked and she nodded, squeezing his hand.

"I'll be okay. Just a quick shower, I promise." She replied and walked down the hall. Once in the bedroom, she left the door cracked so Daniel could hear her, then turned on the water in the shower. He had left the bag of clothes and other things on the bed and she pulled out a pair of sweat pants and a sweatshirt. Sam knew all about being sore from injuries and had wisely brought her baggiest clothes. Grabbing those and her toothbrush and soap, she headed to the shower.

"It was awful, Daniel. Everything was destroyed, holes in the walls, and there was blood… I cleaned up everything I could, but it needs a better cleaning than I could do in just a couple of hours."

"I'll see about getting a service in there in a few days. Chris is staying here, so at least she won't see it." He sighed. "Thank you for coming over, Sam. Chris knows that she can talk to me about anything, but I think it is good for her to have another woman to talk to if she needs it."

"Of course. Let me know if there is anything else you guys need, and I will keep you updated on our search," she replied and he hugged her. For a moment, he just held her and she understood, holding him tightly. He was being the strong one for Chris, but he needed to borrow a little strength for himself at the moment. Pulling back after a long minute, he smiled tearfully at his friend.

"Thanks, Sam," he whispered and she kissed his cheek before leaving for the night.

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"Dammit!" Chris cursed as she felt her body jump. It was the next day and someone had knocked on the door. It didn't help that she had had nightmares all night, at one point physically attacking Daniel in the throes of a full-blown flashback. He had managed to block her wild swings, but it had left her physically and emotionally raw and it had taken him nearly an hour to calm her down. Neither had gotten much sleep and, aside from everything else going on in her head, she felt guilty for that.

Giving her a reassuring smile, Daniel went to the door and looked out, opening it a moment later.

"General Hammond! What are you doing here, sir?" he asked in surprise, letting the older man in.

"I just came to check up on you two." The General replied and barely suppressed his wince as he saw Chris on the sofa. Another night had done little for the bruising on her face and it was as purplish-black as ever. "Am I intruding?"

"No, of course not. You're always welcome here, sir," Daniel said and Hammond walked over to Chris, who stood. Without hesitation, he pulled her to him for a gentle hug and she returned the embrace greedily.

"Hello, sweetheart. How are you feeling?" he murmured and she felt tears threaten at the warmth in his voice.

"I'm getting there, sir," she replied and he let her go.

"Can I get you anything, General? Water, coffee?" Daniel offered but he shook his head.

"No. To be honest, I can only stay for a minute and… As far as anyone is to ever know, I was just here to check on Chris before heading into work- officially speaking, of course." He said cryptically and they all sat down.

"Unofficially speaking?" Daniel asked and Hammond sighed heavily.

"I wanted to let you know that last night, at about 3 in the morning, Kevin Reynolds was found."

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AN: Next chapter: let the payback begin? Perhaps… What should I do to the jerk? Suggestions? Requests? Creativity may be rewarded! Come on, guys- let's hear it! R&R!


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"Let me go! You can't do-" He was cut off by a hard punch to the face that split his lip, making it bleed immediately.

"I suggest you do yourself a favor and shut the hell up," Jack growled and Kevin glared at him defiantly, fighting his restraints in vain.

"Fuck you! I want a lawyer!" he spat and Jack just laughed darkly.

"You aren't getting anything except what you deserve," Jack replied and slapped the man again.

"You cant do this! I have rights! I…" He trailed off as the door opened and another man walked in. To Kevin, it was the biggest black man he had ever seen, with a strange gold thing in his forehead. "Who the fuck are you?" Ignoring the question, Teal'c moved to tower over the restrained man, glaring straight down at him.

"I consider Chris Domani a very close friend of mine, and where I am from, I would be well within my rights to tear you limb from limb right now. However, upon reflection, I believe that such a quick death would be unsatisfactory considering what you have done to my friend." Teal'c said, voice calm and dangerous.

"I don't know what you are talking abo-" Kevin was cut off yet again, this time by a large hand clamping tightly onto his throat, stopping all breath and blood from moving.

"Do not attempt to lie as it will only anger us further," the Jaffa warned. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he stepped back to allow Jack to replace him.

"I told you to shut the hell up, didn't I?" the Black Ops trained Colonel said and sent Kevin's head back with another hard punch to the face, this time breaking his nose. "So, you like to beat women? Do you think it makes you a bigger man to hurt them, that it somehow makes you tougher?" he asked, landing a knee to Kevin's stomach, making him double forward as far as his restraints would allow. "You sonofabitch…" he growled and punched Kevin again just out of sheer fury. "That woman that you beat, I care about her an awful lot, and I don't appreciate anyone hurting her like that. So, I figure you more than have all of this coming…"

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"What are you going to do with him?" Chris asked quietly as she, Daniel, and General Hammond sat in the living room.

"That is up to you, Chris." Hammond replied. "We can contact the proper authorities, of course, if you want to press charges. But… there is no record of Mr. Reynold's visit to our facility and, well, he doesn't strike me as someone that anyone would particularly miss if he just… disappeared." She nodded at the implication of what he was saying. "What happens to him is completely up to you, sweetheart."

"I want to see him." She said and both men frowned in surprise.

"Chris, I don't think that is a good idea." Daniel advised but she shook her head.

"I know but… I need to see him." She replied firmly. Daniel looked at General Hammond for help but the older man nodded sagely.

"Then we should go soon. As it is, Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c are watching over him and… well, I'm pretty sure it is fair to say that there may not be much of him left by the time we get there."

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Jack looked over at the knock on the door to the cell and he holstered his gun. He hadn't fired it, yet, but it made for a nice alternative to hit Kevin with instead of his now raw knuckles. Knowing they weren't to be disturbed, he walked over and opened the door, ready to chew out any insolent Airman that defied orders, only to find Chris and Daniel there.

"What the hell is she doing here?" he growled and walked out, Teal'c following and closing the door behind them. They had been at it for over an hour and could use a brief break, anyway.

"She said she wants to see him," Daniel replied with a heavy sigh.

"Over my dead body!" Jack barked and looked at Chris. "Kid, this is not something you need to see. Trust me, we are making sure he will never so much as think about hurting someone ever again."

"I know, Jack, but I need to see him." She said and he shook his head. "Jack, you told me that I was one of the strongest women you know. Maybe I was a few months ago, but I'm not now. I need to face him, alone, if I am ever to get that back."

"Chris, honey…" he sighed.

"Please? Let me prove to myself that he didn't win… That I don't have to be afraid of him anymore." She murmured and he relented, reluctantly.

"Fine, but T is going to be right here outside the door and we will be monitoring you the entire time. One word out of line on that bastard's part and you come out so that we can finish what we were doing. Got it?" he said and she nodded. Moving to him, she hugged him tightly and he returned the embrace, giving her the boost of strength that she was going to need for this. "One word, Chris, and you come out. Promise?"

"I promise." She replied and, with a glance back at her friends, she opened the door and walked inside.

"There she is," Kevin chuckled darkly, spatting out a mouthful of blood as the door closed behind her. "I was wondering how long you could stay away, sugar."

"Don't call me that," she said, hating how shaky her voice sounded. "I'm not your 'sugar' or anything else."

"Well, look who finally had their balls drop," he said in mock-pride. "Let me guess, that fag, Jackson, took you back."

"Don't call him that!" she snapped, a bit of fire finding its footing in her at his attack on Daniel. "You don't even deserve to say his name!"

"Wow, you really are nuts for him, aren't you?" he asked with a grin.

"I love him and he loves me, far more than you ever did," she said and Kevin laughed out loud, coughing a second later as blood flecked from his lips.

"He loves you, huh? Let me ask, do you think he would still love you if he knew your little secret?"

"Secret?" she asked, her growing confidence dropping slightly.

"About how it was your fault that his baby died? That it was your smart mouth that caused it all?" he asked and she paled.

"No…He…He loves me, no matter what." She struggled, trying to regain her footing, but knowing that Daniel was hearing every word made it hard. "You never loved me like he does, Kevin."

"Oh, please, Chris… I never loved you at all." He replied lowly. "You were nothing but a paycheck to me." Taking a step back, she frowned in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"I suppose there is no harm in telling you now… A few months ago, I was approached by a guy. He said he had a proposition for me." He said and she went very still. "He knew we had been together back in college. I don't know how, but he knew we had been a couple. Anyway, he figured I might have a shot at getting close to you again,"

"But, why?" she asked, still confused.

"To destroy you," he hissed. "He said they had tried to bump you off before, but you survived. I was to get close and then finish you off, permanently. And I would have if I hadn't been having so much damn fun fucking you."

"How… why, Kevin? Why?" she demanded, voice rough, and he rolled his eyes.

"Money, sugar. Lots of it. And this guy had plenty of it." He replied. "I think he was some kind of politician or businessman. You must have really pissed him off, cause he really wanted you dead. Knew a lot about you, too. Told me he had invested a lot into getting you right where he wanted you."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, not sure she even wanted to know the answer.

"Something about 9 years ago, setting up your brother to be caught with a stiff?" he said and she felt her legs go weak. "He knew you would have no choice but to come to him. You played right into his trap, sugar."

Feeling like she had been punched in the stomach, she turned away, forcing her lungs to drag in air. Behind her, she heard Kevin laughing quietly.

"You always were the gullible type, Chris. As smart as you are, you could always be pretty stupid," he said. "Honestly, it was one of my favor-."

The sound of a gunshot rang throughout the cell, quickly followed by a scream of pain. Blood flowed freely from a hole in his shoulder, his struggling against his restraints, only making it worse.

"Im the stupid one? I'm the gullible one?" she hissed, moving close to him, seeing red now. "Kinsey and you are the stupid ones, Kevin. You just don't get it, do you? You think someone as pathetic as _you_ can break me?" she gritted out, cocking the gun again and pointing it at his chest. She knew the others were watching, and guessed Jack had figured out that she had swiped his gun when they hugged outside. She also knew they wouldn't stop her. "Oh, you were close, Kevin. I will give you that much, you came close. But, you never had a hope in hell of breaking me. Do you know why?"

"You fucking shot me!" he screamed and she pressed him back into his chair, her hand on the gunshot wound, making him scream louder.

"You never had a shot because there is only one person in this world that can break me, and he never will." She whispered, then straightened and backed away from him, pointing the gun at his head again. "Now, beg." She ordered and he saw that she was more than prepared to kill him right then and there.

"Chris, no! Don't! You don't want to do this!" he cried, grunts of pain seeping between his words. "Please, sugar, don't do this! I swear, I wont ever come near you again! Please, don't kill me! DON'T!" he screamed as she pressed the barrel to his forehead. "NO! PLEASE!"

"Don't ever forget this moment, how it feels to be in so much pain, how helpless you feel right now," she said quietly. Without another word, she uncocked the gun, turned, and walked out of the cell where the others were waiting for her. Handing the gun back to Jack, she looked at him with ice-cold eyes. "If he lives, send him to P27-681." She said, then passed him. Looking over at Sam, he frowned in confusion.

"Matriarchal society. Men that are deemed healthy enough are made into eunich slaves until they die. Those that aren't healthy are cannibalized," she explained quietly and he nodded. Seemed fitting enough to him.

Walking past the others, Chris made a beeline to the nearest trashcan and doubled over, vomiting violently. Daniel hurried over to her, rubbing her back until the heaving ceased. As she spat into the can one last time, she let him pull her into his arms.

"Just breathe… just breathe, baby," he murmured. He could feel her shaking hard against him and knew that what she had just done would likely haunt her. "It's done, love… it's all over…"

"Daniel?" she whispered and he pressed his forehead to hers. "Take me home…"

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AN: So, was that good enough for payback? A lot going on in this chapter, I'm afraid. At least Kevin is gone, right? Right? Or….. R&R !


	33. Chapter 33

AN: Sorry for the delay, guys. Holiday and a family loss have me distracted. I know this isnt much, but I hope you like it. I could use some reviews, as always. Thanks!

Chapter 33

She didn't say a word as he drove them home, just absently let him hold her hand and stared out the window blankly. Daniel didn't push conversation of any kind, knowing that what she just heard and went through would need time and sorting out. He just remained quiet and silently let her know he was there for her.

Once home, she almost immediately laid down on the sofa and fell asleep, the day having taken its toll. Covering her with a blanket, Daniel did a bit of housework and started dinner- something simple but one of her favorites that he knew she liked especially when feeling down, vegetable soup with chicken mixed in. Every now and then, he checked on her, finding her asleep but tense. Finally, he woke her gently and she sat up.

"Hungry?" he asked but she didn't answer. "I made one of your favorites. Come on, give it a try at least?" At that she nodded and he brought her a bowl of the soup. To his relief, she ate about half the bowl before pushing it away, and he considered it a small victory. As they ate, he had turned on the stereo and let the CD changer shuffle through whatever was inside. Hearing one of her favorite albums come on, he set his own bowl down and stood. "Dance with me?" he asked and pulled her up before she could protest. She didn't fight him as he pulled her into his arms, and let him rock them slowly as the song began.

_**You saw my pain washed out in the rain  
Broken glass, saw the blood run from my veins  
But you saw no fault, no cracks in my heart  
And you knelt beside my hope torn apart**__****_

_**But the ghosts that we knew will flicker from view  
We'll live a long life**_

_**So give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light  
'Cause oh they gave me such a fright  
But I will hold as long as you like  
Just promise me we'll be alright**__**  
**__**  
So lead me back, and turn south from that place  
And close my eyes to my recent disgrace  
'Cause you know my call  
And we'll share my all  
And our children come and they will hear me roar  
**__**  
**__**So give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light  
'Cause oh they gave me such a fright  
But I will hold as long as you like  
Just promise me we'll be alright**_

_**But hold me still, bury my heart on the coals  
And hold me still, bury my heart next to yours**_

_**So give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light  
'Cause oh they gave me such a fright  
But I will hold on with all of my might  
Just promise me we'll be alright**__**  
**__**  
But the ghosts that we knew made us black and all blue  
But we'll live a long life  
And the ghosts that we knew will flicker from view  
And we'll live a long life**___

It was as if some higher power knew exactly what she needed to hear and he felt her sigh heavily. Pressing his forehead against hers, he continued to move them slowly as the song ended and, finally, her eyes met his.

"We're going to be alright, love." He whispered and, closing her eyes, she sank into his embrace.

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"Are you sure you're up for this?" he asked for the hundredth time and Chris sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Daniel, I cant hide in that house for the rest of my life," she pointed out. "I have a job to do and so do you."

"I know. Sorry…" he muttered and she squeezed his hand. It was over a week after the "Kevin incident" as they called it and now that she was beginning to really heal, she was going stir crazy. Kasuf had sent a message to Daniel just that morning and while he had hesitated, she knew he was anxious to see the man. Since he was unlikely to leave her alone, still in "mother-hen" mode, she decided it was time to start back to work. Thankfully, Janet had agreed, with he promise that Chris would check in with her and not overdo it. So, off to the mountain they went.

She was surprised at how nervous she was to return to the base. With reluctance, she had gone to speak to a therapist about what had happened and had found that the woman, Dr. Vicky, was warm and very helpful. There was magic words or cure to suddenly make what had happened to Chris alright, she said, but she had given both Chris and even Daniel some tools to help her along the way. When Chris had gone into a flashback after a particularly nasty nightmare, Daniel had kept his distance and spoken soft reassurances until Chris had finally come out of it- which was safer for both of them than him trying to shake her awake (a mistake he had made only a couple of nights before and still had a small bruise on his jaw from the result).

Still, progress was progress and Chris was ready for the real world again, and even looked forward to getting back to her work.

"Well, unless it is something huge, of course, but I cant imagine it will take us more than a few hours to see what Kasuf needs." Daniel was saying from the driver's seat as he stopped the car inside the mountain.

"Daniel, I will be fine. And if you aren't back, I promise I will just crash at Janet's house for the evening, okay? Please, stop worrying so much." She said and he snorted.

"Yeah, right." He muttered, but a small grin softened his words and she shook her head as they climbed out.

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"I'm back for three hours and he is in the infirmary…" she muttered later as she looked at Daniel in the bed. Janet had already reassured her that Daniel was merely asleep and seemed fine, other than the fact he wouldn't wake up. Shaking her head, she sat down beside him and took his hand in hers.

_ He moved in her dispassionately, simply in and out in a self-gratifying motion. She tried angling her hips so that he would at least find her clit, but he forced her to still and continued thrusting._

_ "Daniel, honey, slow down. I'm not there yet," she whispered but he ignored her and kept moving. He had stuff to do and needed to get this over with. Feeling his balls tightening, he slammed into her hard and fast, her resulting grunts of slight pain as opposed to pleasure. A moment later, he felt his orgasm hit and he pulled from her, spilling all over her stomach and thighs. Jerking himself roughly, he emptied everything he had, then collapsed beside her for a moment, panting. _

_ "Damn, that was good." He gasped, throwing an arm over his face. Feeling her scoot closer to him, he groaned and sat up. He was aware that she hadn't finished, but he didn't have time for that now. "Clean yourself up. I'm going to shower. I've got the launch to prepare for."_

_ "Daniel…" she said but he was already in the bathroom, turning on the water. _

When he woke, his first thought was of Shifu, but as he quickly dressed and hurried down to where they were about to bring forth the boy's memories, he had to shake off what he had dreamed. The child was right, no one should have that kind of knowledge. He had never considered how something as wonderful as knowledge could harm so many, could change him so completely. He had to stop them…

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AN: Like I said, it wasn't much, but it has been a rough couple of weeks. I hope those in the US had a great Thanksgiving. Are we all ready for a little fun and happiness in this story again? I could really use some reviews (it would really cheer me up), and even some requests of anything you would like to see if you want (cant promise, but will do my best.) Thanks again, guys.


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